Skeleton Segments Research Articles

BCG alignment with the locations of cluster members and the large-scale structure out to 10 R200

ABSTRACT Using a sample of >200 clusters, each with typically 100–200 spectroscopically confirmed cluster members, we search for a signal of alignment between the position angle (PA) of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy (BCG) and the distribution of cluster members on the sky about the cluster centre out to projected distances of 3 R200. The deep spectroscopy, combined with corrections for spectroscopic incompleteness, makes our sample ideal to determine alignment signal strengths. We also use an SDSS based skeleton of the filamentary large-scale structure (LSS), and measure BCG alignment with the location of the LSS skeleton segments on the sky out to projected distances of 10 R200. The alignment signal is measured using three separate statistical measures; Rao’s spacing test (U), Kuiper’s V parameter (V), and the Binomial probability test (P). The significance of the BCG alignment signal with both cluster members and LSS segments is extremely high (1 in a million chance or less to be drawn randomly from a uniform distribution). We investigate a wide set of parameters that may influence the strength of the alignment signal. Clusters with more elliptical-shaped BCGs show stronger alignment with both their cluster members and LSS segments. Also, selecting clusters with closely connected filaments, or using a luminosity-weighted LSS skeleton, increases the alignment signal significantly. Alignment strength decreases with increasing projected distance. Combined, these results provide strong evidence for the growth of clusters and their BCGs by preferential feeding along the direction of the filaments in which they are embedded.

An experimental study of the wire-driven compliant robotic fish

Inspired by the live fish in nature, a robotic fish is built with a rigid anterior body and a wire-driven flexible tail. The flexible tail is comprised of skeleton segments and an elastic beam, while a rigid caudal fin is fixed at the posterior end of the beam to realize compliant flapping. In this study, comprehensive experiments are implemented to evaluate the swimming performance of this wire-driven robotic fish. The straight and turning swimming velocities, the consumed time of oriented direction swimming, the amplitude of swing angle and the lateral displacement of fishtail during cruising are measured. In order to estimate the straight swimming performance of the robotic fish, the Elongated-Body Theory of Lighthill combined with the experimental results is used to model the wire-driven compliant robotic fish. An experimental approach is proposed to estimate the swimming velocity and the deflection of compliant wire-driven robotic fishtail. The optimized model describes the flapping amplitude attenuation tendency, resolves the overestimation of cruising velocity in straight swimming and is capable to predict the straight average velocity accurately. Its feasibility is validated against the experimental data and a good match is achieved.

Morphology of joints and patterns of cartilage calcification in the endoskeleton of the batoid Raja cf. polystigma.

The skeleton of the batoid fish consists of a mixture of calcified and uncalcified cartilage with a typical layout of mineral deposition toward the outer border, leaving an uncalcified central core in most of the skeleton segments. An exception is observed in the radials, where mineral deposition is central. Joints and endoskeleton segments were studied in two adult samples of Raja cf. polystigma. Histomorphology, mineral deposition pattern, and zonal chondrocyte duplication activity were compared among several endoskeleton segments, but with particular attention to the fin rays; in the first, the uncalcified cartilage is central with an outer layer ranging from mineralized tesserae to a continuous calcified coating, whereas in the second, the uncalcified cartilage surrounds one or more central calcified columns. The diarthroses have a joint cavity closed by a fibrous capsule and the sliding surfaces rest on the base of mineralized tesserae, whereas the interradial amphiarthroses show a layer of densely packed chondrocytes between the flat, calcified discs forming the base of neighboring radials. In the endoskeleton segments, three types of tesserae are distinguished, characterizing the phases of skeletal growth and mineralization which present differences in each endoskeleton segment. The chondrocyte density between central core, subtesseral layer, and radial external cartilage did not show significant differences, while there was a significant difference in chondrocyte density between the latter zones and the type c tesserae of the pelvic girdle. The histomorphology and morphometry observed in Raja cf. polystigma suggest a model of cartilage growth associated with structural stiffening without remodeling. A key point of this model is suggested to be the incomplete mineralization of the tesseral layer and the continuous growth of cartilage, both enabling fluid diffusion through the matrix fibril network of scattered, uncalcified cartilage zones inside and between the tesserae.

Semantics-guided skeletonization of upright fruiting offshoot trees for robotic pruning

Dormant pruning for fresh market fruit trees is a relatively unexplored application of agricultural robotics for which few end-to-end systems exist. One of the biggest challenges in creating an autonomous pruning system is the need to reconstruct a model of a tree which is accurate and informative enough to be useful for deciding where to cut. One useful structure for modeling a tree is a skeleton: a 1D, lightweight representation of the geometry and the topology of a tree. This skeletonization problem is an important one within the field of computer graphics, and a number of algorithms have been specifically developed for the task of modeling trees. These skeletonization algorithms have largely addressed the problem as a geometric one. In agricultural contexts, however, the parts of the tree have distinct labels, such as the trunk, supporting branches, etc. This labeled structure is important for understanding where to prune. We introduce an algorithm which uses topological and geometric priors about Upright Fruiting Offshoot (UFO) trees to produce such a labeled skeleton. We test our skeletonization algorithm on point clouds from 29 UFO trees and, using an accuracy metric based on the number of correctly reconstructed and labeled skeleton segments, demonstrate a median construction accuracy of 70% with respect to a human-evaluated gold standard. We also make point cloud scans of 82 UFO trees open-source to other researchers. Our work represents a significant first step towards a robust tree modeling framework which can be used in an autonomous pruning system.

Качество костной ткани и ее минеральная плотность у больных хронической обструктивной болезнью легких

Цель — изучение влияния хронической обструктивной болезни легких (ХОБЛ) на минеральную плотность костной ткани (МПКТ) и ее качество в зависимости от тяжести заболевания и возраста женщин. Материалы и методы. Обследовано 30 женщин в возрасте 57,43 ± 7,87 года, больных ХОБЛ различной стадии (GOLD 1–4). Исследовали МПКТ всего скелета, поясничного отдела позвоночника (L1–L4), шейки бедренной кости и дистального отдела костей предплечья с помощью двухэнергетической рентгеновской абсорбциометрии (DЕХА). Показатель trabecular bone score (TBS) поясничного отдела позвоночника (L1–L4) определяли с помощью методики TBS iNsight (Med-Imaps, Pessac, Франция). Результаты. Установлено достоверное уменьшение МПКТ на всех исследуемых участках скелета у больных, начиная с GOLD 3, тогда как на уровне L1–L4 МПКТ начинала снижаться при GOLD 2 и в возрастной группе 45–59 лет по сравнению с более молодыми пациентами. Установлены корреляционные связи тяжести ХОБЛ и МПКТ бедренной кости (r = –0,75, p < 0,05), лучевой кости (r = –0 73, p < 0,05), L1–L4 (r = –0,80, p < 0,05), всего скелета (r = –0,73, p < 0,05). Значения TBS, начиная с GOLD 2, а также у женщин старше 45 лет соответствовали частичному нарушению качества кости. TBS прогрессивно снижалась и при GOLD 4 и у женщин старше 60 лет соответствовала значительной потере качества костной ткани. Наиболее выраженные изменения выявлены на уровне TBS L1 и соответствовали значительной потере качества костной ткани уже при GOLD 2. Установлены отрицательные корреляционные связи между тяжестью ХОБЛ и TBS L1–L4 (r = –0,76, p < 0,05) и TBS L2–L4 (r = –0,75, p < 0,05). Выводы. Возраст в равной степени влияет как на МПКТ, так и TBS больных ХОБЛ женщин, и, начиная с 45-летнего возраста, данные показатели прогрессивно снижаются. Влияние ХОБЛ на костную ткань в зависимости от тяжести заболевания неоднородно в разных сегментах аксиального скелета. Самые ранние изменения касаются МПКТ L1–L4 (1,19 ± 0,05) г/см2 по сравнению с GOLD 1 (1,39 ± 0,05) г/см2 (p < 0,05) и TBS L1 (1,17 ± 0,06) по сравнению с GOLD 1 (1,34 ± 0,06; p < 0,05), снижение которых наблюдается уже у больных с GOLD 2.

Cubik system: maximizing possibilities of in-house computer-guided surgery for complex craniofacial reconstruction

Craniofacial reconstruction represents a major challenge due to the complex anatomical morphology. Although implant production has often been outsourced to external companies, in-house planning and manufacturing has developed in many centres. This note introduces a conceptualized modular mould system to perform any desired craniofacial reconstruction, named ‘Cubik’, inspired by the famous Rubik’s cube. A sophisticated virtual process is described that simulates realistic cranio-orbital resections, and the workflow to create multi-component moulds in order to achieve intraoperatively moulded implants is presented. The description focuses on the appropriate definition of interfaces between the subdivision surfaces of the planned implant, which is the key element to successful design and function of the moulds during surgery and is the peculiarity of the Cubik system. The use of Cubik does not prolong the overall duration of surgery, and it appears to be a very versatile tool, allowing personalized implants with different morphology to be created, which are suitable to cover every potential defect of the skull and the orbital region. This study extends the potential of in-house production, allowing highly accurate implantable craniofacial implants to be fabricated, and in the future this might represent a solution to achieve in-house replacement of other segments of the facial skeleton.

Generalized hysteretic constitutive model of marine structural steel with pitting corrosion

To describe the effect of the coupled damage caused by corrosion and low-fatigue hysteresis on the mechanical performance of marine steel, a generalized hysteretic constitutive model is developed based on the results of a reversed cyclic test that was conducted previously on the commonly used D36 steel considering different corrosion scenarios and loading schemes. Three typical hardening models, namely the NLISO isotropic model, Chaboche kinematic model, and combined hardening model in ABAQUS® are first studied using the parameters calibrated with the test data. The combined model is found to be capable of performing desirable simulations for all pitting corrosion cases. However, it is difficult to explicitly clarify the relation between its parameters and the volume loss ratio (VLR), which is not applicable for general purposes. The developed hysteretic model consists of a cyclic hardening skeleton segment, an unloading segment, and a reloading segment. A direct link is established between its parameters and VLR via regressive analysis. This generalized model can comprehensively account for, with desirable prediction accuracy, the influence of pitting-induced volume loss, stress concentration, and eccentricity on the hysteretic behaviour of marine steel. It can be applied to engineering practice with rational conservation.

Fusion of Multiple Lidars and Inertial Sensors for the Real-Time Pose Tracking of Human Motion.

Today, enhancement in sensing technology enables the use of multiple sensors to track human motion/activity precisely. Tracking human motion has various applications, such as fitness training, healthcare, rehabilitation, human-computer interaction, virtual reality, and activity recognition. Therefore, the fusion of multiple sensors creates new opportunities to develop and improve an existing system. This paper proposes a pose-tracking system by fusing multiple three-dimensional (3D) light detection and ranging (lidar) and inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors. The initial step estimates the human skeletal parameters proportional to the target user’s height by extracting the point cloud from lidars. Next, IMUs are used to capture the orientation of each skeleton segment and estimate the respective joint positions. In the final stage, the displacement drift in the position is corrected by fusing the data from both sensors in real time. The installation setup is relatively effortless, flexible for sensor locations, and delivers results comparable to the state-of-the-art pose-tracking system. We evaluated the proposed system regarding its accuracy in the user’s height estimation, full-body joint position estimation, and reconstruction of the 3D avatar. We used a publicly available dataset for the experimental evaluation wherever possible. The results reveal that the accuracy of height and the position estimation is well within an acceptable range of ±3–5 cm. The reconstruction of the motion based on the publicly available dataset and our data is precise and realistic.

The Potential for Discrepancies in Population History Signatures from Different Segments of the Human Skeleton

The use of metric data from skeletal remains to assess models of evolutionary processes is a well‐established substitute for genomic data. However, it has been suggested in previous research that certain osteological elements retain population history signatures better than others because they are likely less subject to natural selection. This study examines the potential for differences in gene flow models using human crania (traits shown to evolve through neutral processes) versus postcrania (traits provisionally shown to have evolved in response to selection). In this study, we sampled from four large pueblos in the American Southwest representing a short temporal period and small geographic area (Arizona, c. 1200–1400, N=267). Based on a robust archaeological record detailing changes in material culture, researchers hypothesize immigration into this region from non‐local populations.The study uses gene flow models based on variance comparison methods developed by Relethford and Blangero. Metric data were analyzed using the R statistical environment and RMET 5.0, a program based on the Relethford‐Blangero statistics. Under a quantitative genetic model, gene flow results in higher‐than‐expected variance in a population, which RMET examines. Likewise, gene flow decreases the biodistance between populations sharing genes, and so these were compared through Mahalanobis D2 distances.Cranial and postcranial dimensions generally result in different patterns of gene flow. Comparing residual phenotypic variances from the Relethford‐Blangero model, only one of the four sites presents the same pattern of gene flow between cranial and postcranial results. Biodistance analyses show that the Pueblo population that is the greatest distance remains consistent in both crania and postcrania, but which of the other three is closest changes between the two body regions. This incongruence has implications for local disparities in the variance and in the mean differences between aspects of morphology.Either the upper or lower limb elements may be driving the discrepancies, as limb bones are shown to respond dissimilarly to selection on a global scale. We conducted analyses comparing results of the upper and lower limbs. The results indicate upper limb residual variances are higher, but only the lower limb matches the patterns observed in the overall postcranial analysis. Biological distance relationships are very similar between the limbs, though the lower limb data is closer in magnitude to the overall postcranial distance. It is possible that the lower limb is driving the variance results for the postcrania, a result that provisionally reflects the evolution of femoral traits in recent humans in response to neutral processes. This has implications for how we evaluate population history using phenotypic data, particularly considering which phenotypic data to employ.Support or Funding InformationThis research was partially funded by the University of Tennessee Department of Anthropology through a Kneberg‐Lewis Scholarship.

METHODS EVALUATING UPPER ARM AND FOREARM MOVEMENT DURING A QUIET STANCE

The article focuses on designing methods for quantitative assessment of the postural stability in a quiet stance by measuring segments of the appendicular skeleton, namely upper and forearms by inertial measurement units (IMU). Although an array of quantitative analysis methods assessing data of postural stability in the quiet stance exist by measuring the head and trunk movement, these methods have not been used to date to assess the behaviour of appendicular skeleton segments, namely the upper limbs. The applicability of methods assessing arm movement during the quiet stance has been verified by comparing the values of healthy subjects performing various stance tasks. The tests determined the quantitative evaluation of acceleration measured on individual anatomical axes. The quantities included: the volume of a convex polyhedron (PV), the volume of confidence ellipsoid (EV) and average velocity (AV) obtained by plotting three accelerations against each other. The most important findings in this study concern significant differences of PV and AV between dominant and non-dominant upper extremities and significant differences of EV, PV and AV between the data measured with a subject's eyes closed and open. Higher values of indicators were in the non-dominant extremities when subjects were measured with closed eyes. Interestingly, statistically significant differences between dominant and non-dominant arm movements were documented in PV and AV cases. This is due to the PV calculation being more sensitive to random deviations, i.e. the range of measured data, since the polyhedron bounds all the measured data, as opposed to the method, where the ellipse bounds only 95% of the measured data. In the case of the AV method, it is due to higher sensitivity to movements corresponding with arm tremors; the AV calculation relates not only to the range of measured data but, above all, to the intensity of data changes in the segment measured in a particular space and time interval. These conclusions demonstrate that it is possible to apply the proposed methods in the assessment of arm movement during a quiet stance since the differences between individual stance tasks and the dominant and non-dominant arms in specific cases of quiet stance have been identified. These conclusions also indicate a potentially more extensive medical application of the proposed quantitative data evaluation obtained from IMU, for example, within the rehabilitation process of injured appendicular skeleton segments. The use of cheaper IMU methods in mobile phones or watches can be of significant benefit in measuring the segmental movement of the appendicular skeleton in quiet stance. The methods outlined in this paper have remarkable potential in the field of telemedicine.

Finite element modelling of biologic system in orthopedic trauma

Surgical treatment of the proximal femur fractures is a challenge due to the lack of a unified treatment strategy. Among these, of particular importance is the analysis of the processes occurring in bone tissue during the healing of fractures under dynamic conditions, especially the analysis of mechanical stresses. The finite element method is an effective method of mathematical modelling of complex objects and a description of the stress-strain states of these objects. With the aim of improving the results of fracture treatment of the proximal femur and pelvic bones, a mathematical simulation was performed using the finite element method on the intertrochanteric fracture of the femur fixed by a dynamic hip screw and a pelvic fracture fixed by submersible osteosynthesis under various conditions. The calculation parameters are based on the literature data and the optimal accuracy of the ratio specified and the calculation time of the "bone–implant" software system. The models were constructed by taking into account the various properties of cortical and spongy bone as well as the implant. A virtual weight of 80 kg was applied to the models. The estimation of the displacement of the bone–implant system was done along with the prediction of stresses according to the von Mises yield criterion. Thus, the results of mathematical modelling with the use of finite element method allows prediction of the movement of bone fragments in the broken skeleton segment and to choose the correct method of osteosynthesis of the fragments and to evaluate its consequences. The application of methods of mathematical modelling expands the possibilities of scientific and personified approach to surgical treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Skeleton-Based Action Recognition With Key-Segment Descriptor and Temporal Step Matrix Model

Human action recognition based on skeleton has played a key role in various computer vision-related applications, such as smart surveillance, human-computer interaction, and medical rehabilitation. However, due to various viewing angles, diverse body sizes, and occasional noisy data, etc., this remains a challenging task. The existing deep learning-based methods require long time to train the models and may fail to provide an interpretable descriptor to code the temporal-spatial feature of the skeleton sequence. In this paper, a key-segment descriptor and a temporal step matrix model are proposed to semantically present the temporal-spatial skeleton data. First, a skeleton normalization is developed to make the skeleton sequence robust to the absolute body size and initial body orientation. Second, the normalized skeleton data is divided into skeleton segments, which are treated as the action units, combining 3D skeleton pose and the motion. Each skeleton sequence is coded as a meaningful and characteristic key segment sequence based on the key segment dictionary formed by the segments from all the training samples. Third, the temporal structure of the key segment sequence is coded into a step matrix by the proposed temporal step matrix model, and the multiscale temporal information is stored in step matrices with various steps. Experimental results on three challenging datasets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms all the hand-crafted methods and it is comparable to recent deep learning-based methods.

Exploring Implementation of Three-dimensional Skeleton Reconstruction of Finger Vein for PPS

The heart of the product service system is combining the product and service organically, and then achieving a certain function to meet the needs of consumers. Products and services of identification based on finger veins are important parts of the development of cloud computing and Internet of Things. At present, the products using finger vein recognition are mostly applied or used in a small scale. Because different finger veins may have same or similar 2D projections which probably lead to recognition errors. Considering the request of the user and the need of information safety construction of enterprises, this paper proposes a three-dimensional skeleton reconstruction method of finger vein based on a quadrature biplane image acquisition system. By using the topological characteristics of finger vein skeletons, the matching for feature points of two 2D finger-vein skeletons has been achieved. Finally, piecewise curve fitting based on 2D skeleton segments from two 2D projections is developed to reconstruct the complete 3D skeleton. In the industrial of the IoT, this technology can be carried in various terminal products of the PSS, which can maximize the value for consumers and expedite PSS for development.

Human Recognition by Appearance and Gait

This work is focused on person identification task in video sequences. For this task we propose two complementing solutions, which can be applied in different cases: gait and visual recognition. For gait recognition three kinds of features are used: anthropometric features, based on the length of the skeleton segments; relative distance features, based on relative distances between the skeleton joints; and motion features, based on the movement of a joint between two frames. Two versions of the gait recognition algorithm are presented: the first one uses the depth data alongside with the images while the other one uses only the video sequence. For visual recognition from appearance we propose a deep learning algorithm that returns binary image features. Each algorithm was tested on two datasets. Furthermore, we perform experiments on transfer from one dataset to another to check trained model transferability.

Percutaneous, Imaging-Guided Biopsy of Bone Metastases.

Approximately 70% of cancer patients will eventually develop bone metastases. Spine, due to the abundance of red marrow in the vertebral bodies and the communication of deep thoracic-pelvic veins with valve-less vertebral venous plexuses, is the most common site of osseous metastatic disease. Open biopsies run the risk of destabilizing an already diseased spinal or peripheral skeleton segment. Percutaneous biopsies obviate such issues and provide immediate confirmation of correct needle location in the area of interest. Indications for percutaneous bone biopsy include lesion characterization, optimal treatment and tumor recurrence identification, as well as tumor response and recurrence rate prediction. Predicting recurrence in curative cases could help in treatment stratification, identification, and validation of new targets. The overall accuracy of percutaneous biopsy is 90–95%; higher positive recovery rates govern biopsy of osteolytic lesions. The rate of complications for percutaneous biopsy approaches is <5%. The purpose of this review is to provide information about performing bone biopsy and what to expect from it as well as choosing the appropriate imaging guidance. Additionally, factors governing the appropriate needle trajectory that would likely give the greatest diagnostic yield and choice of the most appropriate biopsy system and type of anesthesia will be addressed.

A Skeletal Similarity Metric for Quality Evaluation of Retinal Vessel Segmentation

The most commonly used evaluation metrics for quality assessment of retinal vessel segmentation are sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, which are based on pixel-to-pixel matching. However, due to the inter-observer problem that vessels annotated by different observers vary in both thickness and location, pixel-to-pixel matching is too restrictive to fairly evaluate the results of vessel segmentation. In this paper, the proposed skeletal similarity metric is constructed by comparing the skeleton maps generated from the reference and the source vessel segmentation maps. To address the inter-observer problem, instead of using a pixel-to-pixel matching strategy, each skeleton segment in the reference skeleton map is adaptively assigned with a searching range whose radius is determined based on its vessel thickness. Pixels in the source skeleton map located within the searching range are then selected for similarity calculation. The skeletal similarity consists of a curve similarity, which measures the structural similarity between the reference and the source skeleton maps and a thickness similarity, which measures the thickness consistency between the reference and the source vessel segmentation maps. In contrast to other metrics that provide a global score for the overall performance, we modify the definitions of true positive, false negative, true negative, and false positive based on the skeletal similarity, based on which sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and other objective measurements can be constructed. More importantly, the skeletal similarity metric has better potential to be used as a pixelwise loss function for training deep learning models for retinal vessel segmentation. Through comparison of a set of examples, we demonstrate that the redefined metrics based on the skeletal similarity are more effective for quality evaluation, especially with greater tolerance to the inter-observer problem.

Osteochondroses.

The osteochondroses are a group of disorders that affect the epiphysis or epiphyseal equivalent segments of the immature skeleton. These disorders are believed to be primarily the result of traumatic or vascular pathology, often in the setting of overuse, and are usually self-limited. Their imaging findings are based on the time of the study within the natural course of the disease process. Early findings may best be demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging or may be recognized radiographically as sclerosis of the involved segment. Later disease demonstrates bone fragmentation and collapse, followed by healing where bone architecture is restored with variable reconstitution of the normal morphology.

Facial Trauma Care in the Austere Environment.

As the United States continues to increase its use of Special Operations Forces worldwide, treatment of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) trauma must be adapted to meet the needs of the warfighter. The remoteness of Special Operations can result in potentially longer times until definitive treatment may be reached. A significant portion of Servicemembers incur injury to the CMF region (42%). Severe CMF trauma can result in substantial hemorrhage and airway compromise. These can be immediately life threatening and must be addressed expeditiously. Numerous devices and techniques for airway management have been made available to the forward provider. A thorough review of nonsurgical and surgical airway management of the patient with facial injury for the forward provider and providers at receiving facilities is provided in this article. Techniques to address flail segments of the facial skeleton are critical in minimizing airway compromise in these patients. There are many methods to control hemorrhage from the head and neck region. Hemorrhage control is critical to ensure survival in the austere environment and allow for transport to a definitive care facility. Associated injuries to the cervical spine, globe, skull base, carotid artery, and brain must be carefully evaluated and addressed in these patients. Management of vision- threatening orbital compartment syndrome is critical in patients with CMF injuries. Because the head and neck region remains relatively vulnerable in the warfighter, combat CMF trauma will continue to occur. Forward providers will benefit from a review of the acute treatment of CMF traumatic injury. Properly triaging and treating facial injuries is necessary to afford the best chance of survival for patients with a devastating combat CMF injury.

Pan-Facial Fractures: A Retrospective Study and Review of Literature

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the characteristics of panfacial fractures and evaluate treatment results at the Maxillofacial, Stomatology and plastic surgery department at the AVICENNE military hospital over a period of 5 years. Patients and Methods: Forty eight patients with panfacial fractures were treated in Maxillofacial, stomatology and plastic surgery department of the AVICENNE Military Teaching Hospital between 2012 and 2017. The criteria for inclusion in the study were patients who had fractures of at least three of the four axial segments of the facial skeleton: frontal, upper midface, lower midface, and mandible. Results: 48 patients with panfacial fractures had a total of 116 subtypes of facial bone fractures. A total of seventeen (14.6%) LeFort II fractures in 16 (33.4%) patients were recorded, fifteen LeFort I fractures were recorded in 3 (6.2%) cases; seven (6%) LeFort III fractures were recorded in 5 (10.4%) cases, thirteen (11.2%) fractures of the NOF complex were recorded in 6 (12.5%) patients; sixteen (33.4%) patients had thirty eight (32.7%) fractures involving the mandible. Ten (8.6%) NOM (naso-orbito-maxilla) complex fractures occurred in 9 (18.7%) cases. 5 (10.4%) patients had a total of five (4.3%) CNEMFO (naso-ethmoido-maxillo-fronto-orbital) complex fractures. Our case series included five Comminuted premaxillary fractures and six Intermaxillary disjunctions. All 48 cases had facial deformities and thirty six had malocclusions. The treatment plan to reduce and fix the facial bone fractures was sequenced “Bottom up, Outside in”. Postoperative complications were reported, there were 5 cases whose malocclusions, 4 cases of zygomatic non-union or partial defects, 13 had enophthalmos and hypoglobus. Seven had scars from the trauma, 2 had lower eyelid ectropion, and 2 had temporal muscle atrophy. Conclusion: Panfacial fractures seem to be complex and difficult to treat, but with an organized and flexible approach, appropriate reduction of fractures is accomplishable, yet post-surgical complications mainly caused by soft tissue problems, including lacerations and asymmetries, can’t be easily avoided.

Offline Signature Authenticity Verification Through Unambiguously Connected Skeleton Segments

A method for offline signature verification is presented in this paper. It is based on the segmentation of thesignature skeleton (through standard image skeletonization) into unambiguous sequences of points, or unambiguously connected skeleton segments corresponding to vectorial representations of signature portions. These segments are assumed to be the fundamental carriers of useful information for authenticity verification,and are compactly encoded as sets of 9 scalars (4 sampled coordinates and 1 length measure). Thus signature authenticity is inferred through Euclidean distance based comparisons between pairs of such compact representations. The average performance of this method is evaluated through experiments with offline versions of signatures from the MCYT-100 database. For comparison purposes, three other approaches are applied to the same set of signatures, namely: (1) a straightforward approach based on Dynamic Time Warping distances between segments, (2) a published method by [18], also based on DTW, and (3) the average human performance under equivalent experimental protocol. Results suggest that if human performance is taken as agoal for automatic verification, then we should discard signature shape details to approach this goal. Moreover, our best result – close to human performance – was obtained by the simplest strategy, where equal weights were given to segment shape and length.