Vertical Diameter Research Articles

Transpedicular Screw Fixation of the Lumbar Spine: an anatomical perspective

Background Transpedicular screw fixation of the lumbar spine is a popular procedure to attain stability in degenerative conditions, deformity and fracture. An inappropriate size and positioning of the screw however may result in postoperative neurological and vascular complications in up to 42% of cases emphasizing need for precise morphometric data. Aim: This study aimed at providing morphometric features of lumbar vertebral pedicles germane to transpedicular screw fixation in Punjab. Study design: Cross-sectional population study Methods: Lumbar spine measurements of height and transverse diameter of pedicles along with sagittal and transverse angles were recorded from CT scans of 33 adult males and 28 females using ImageJ1.47v radiological image processor. Distance along pedicular and sagittal axes reaching anterior cortex of vertebra (screw length) was also measured. Results: Vertical and transverse diameters of the pedicle were significantly larger in the male. Gradual increase from L1 to L5 in the sagittal and transverse angles was observed in both sexes. Both angles were comparatively larger in the females; transvers angle being much wider than the males. Depth (screw length) of anterior cortex along pediclular axis except at level L3 and parallel to sagittal axis was not significantly different in the two groups. Conclusion: The study has provided useful gender specific data which will be of interest to the researcher and may be useful for the operating surgeon in his preoperative assessment and deliberations of lumbar transpedicular screw fixation. Keywords: Lumbar spine, transpedicular screw fixation, morphometry, lumbar pedicle, lumbar vertebrae, Multan

Comparative Morphometry of the Sacrum and Its Clinical Implications: A Retrospective Study of Osteometry in Dry Bones and CT Scan Images in Patients Presenting With Lumbosacral Pathologies.

BackgroundMorphometric measurement of the sacrum is crucial due to its active involvement in the instrumentation for lumbar pathologies. From screw placement to stabilization procedures for the spine, the sacrum remains a site of surgical importance. Thus, the purpose of this study was to generate baseline data by comparing two techniques, namely, osteometry in dry bones and CT scan imaging.MethodologyIn this study, 30 dry, fully ossified, disarticulated sacra were studied for osteometry, and 60 CT scan reports of patients with lumbar pathologies were retrospectively evaluated. In both cases, similar parameters were measured. The mean values were determined, the two methods were compared, and statistical analysis was performed.ResultsAmong the 30 dry bone samples, 33.3% (10 out of 30) were males, while 55% of the CT scan group were males. Correlation between the different measurements in the CT scan group suggested that the vertebral body maximum width of S1 had a significant positive correlation with the vertebral body height of S1, sacral height, sacral breadth, transverse diameter of auricular surface, and vertical diameter of auricular surface. Statistically significant higher values (P < 0.001) were observed for the vertebral body mid diameter of S1, vertebral body height of S1, pedicle width, and pedicle depth measurements in the dry bone group compared to the CT scan group.ConclusionsThe efficiency of anaesthetic blocks can be increased if the parameters are evaluated beforehand. Moreover, sexual dimorphism of the bone can account for the varied results of the parameters, indicating the necessity to conduct gender-based studies in a wider population.

Morphologic Changes in the Lamina Cribrosa Upon Intraocular Pressure Lowering in Patients With Normal Tension Glaucoma.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether the lamina cribrosa (LC) curve changes in response to intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction following administration of topical ocular hypotensive eye drops in eyes with normal tension glaucoma (NTG).MethodsNinety-three eyes of 93 patients with treatment naïve NTG at initial examination and with ≥20% reduction from baseline IOP following administration of topical ocular hypotensive eye drops were included. Serial horizontal B-scan images of the optic nerve head (ONH) were obtained from each eye using enhanced depth imaging spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and 1 year after IOP-lowering treatment. The LC curvature in each eye was assessed by measuring the LC curvature index (LCCI) in horizontal OCT B-scan images obtained at three (superior, central, and inferior) locations spaced equidistantly across the vertical optic disc diameter before and after IOP-lowering treatment. We evaluated the OCT detectible change in the LC curvature based on the interval change of LCCI to exceed the intersession standard deviation of 1.96 times and factors associated with the magnitude of the LCCI change in the eyes showing significant LC change.ResultsIOP decreased from 15.7 ± 2.5 mm Hg at baseline to 11.2 ± 1.7 mm Hg after topical glaucoma medication. Among the 93 subjects, 62 (66.7%) eyes showed the significant reduction of the LCCI (interssetional change over 1.5) after the treatment; greater interssessional change of the LCCI after IOP reduction was associated with younger age (P = 0.020) and larger baseline LCCI (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe OCT detectible changes in LC curvature occurred in response to a modest decrease in the IOP in the naïve NTG eyes. The therapeutic benefit of these changes need to be assessed in longitudinal studies.

Radiographic vertical tracheal diameter assessment at different levels along the trachea as an alternative method for the evaluation of the tracheal diameter in non-brachycephalic small breed dogs

BackgroundTracheal narrowing due to congenital tracheal hypoplasia, acquired tracheal stenosis and tracheal collapse can lead to life-threatening respiratory distress. Tracheal hypoplasia has been identified in brachycephalic dog breeds, predominantly English Bulldogs, by measuring the tracheal diameter compared to the diameter of the thoracic inlet and creating a ratio. However, reference ranges for tracheal diameter have not been established for non-brachycephalic small breed dogs. It would be advantageous to have established tracheal diameters for non-brachycephalic small breed dogs, as these are the dogs most at risk of tracheal collapse. The main objective, of this study was to radiographically evaluate vertical tracheal diameter (VTD) at three standardized locations along the trachea of non-brachycephalic small breed dogs, in an attempt to further establish a screening diagnostic protocol for canine tracheal hypoplasia. Medical records and thoracic radiographs of non-brachycephalic small breed dogs without respiratory disease were reviewed. Right lateral radiographs were reviewed. The absolute and average VTDs at three locations (location A: caudal cervical VTD; location B thoracic inlet VTD; location C: intrathoracic VTD) were standardized by manubrium length (ML), as well as by the previously utilized thoracic inlet distance (Ti-D) and proximal 3rd rib width (PR3-W) to calculate manubrium-tracheal index (M-TI), thoracic inlet-tracheal index (Ti-TI), and proximal R3-tracheal score (PR3-TS), respectively. Correlations between averaged tracheal diameter and each of the ML, Ti-D, and PR3-W, and between M-TI and each of Ti-TI and PR3-TS were calculated.ResultsEighty-one healthy dogs met the criteria for inclusion. Significant differences (P < 0.0001) were identified among the mean values of the absolute and standardized VTDs at levels A, B, and C. The smallest tracheal diameter was identified at the level of the thoracic inlet (Level B).The average VTD correlated better with ML (rs = 0.82, P < 0.0001) compared to Ti-D and PR3-W. A relatively strong correlation (rs = 0.77, P < 0.0001) was identified between the averaged manubrium tracheal index (M-TI) and thoracic inlet tracheal index (Ti-TI).ConclusionM-TI is an appropriate alternative to Ti-TI and PR3-TS to radiographically evaluate VTD in dogs. M-TI < 0.43, < 0.34, or < 0.38 at level A, B, or C, respectively, may indicate tracheal hypoplasia in non-brachycephalic small breed dogs. Screening of canine VTD could be achieved using M-TI.

Combining spectral domain optical coherence tomography of retinal nerve fiber layer and noncontact tonometry in mass glaucoma screening during the World Glaucoma Week

This study reports the combination of noncontact tonometry and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in mass glaucoma screening in the Lebanese population. This cross-sectional study included Lebanese individuals who participated in a glaucoma screening campaign in March 2018 and March 2019 for World Glaucoma Week. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by noncontact tonometry. Optic nerve head (ONH) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) scans were obtained using SD-OCT. Glaucoma suspects were defined as individuals having an IOP above 21mmHg in at least one eye and/or RNFL thinning in either the superior or the inferior quadrant. Among the 1116 individuals who were examined, 15.5% were found to be glaucoma suspects based upon their IOP readings, 15.5% based on OCT, and 3.0% based on both criteria combined. The mean vertical and horizontal disc diameter was 1.75±0.23mm and 1.57±0.22mm, respectively. Eyes that were suspects by OCT with normal IOP had thinner corneas when compared to eyes with normal OCT and high IOP (512.25μm vs. 559.12μm, P<0.0001). SD-OCT can be an easy and relatively fast component of mass glaucoma screening in addition to IOP measurement. Further studies are needed to establish this combination as a valid glaucoma screening method.

Biometry of the human cornea and globe: An evaluation by age, gender and population

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of age, gender and population origin on human globe and corneal dimensions and to explore the relationships between the dimensions.Human post-mortem eyes were obtained in Hyderabad (n = 223; range, 0–85 years) and Miami (n = 486; range, 6–103 years). The eyes were freed of extraneous tissues and globe antero-posterior length (GAPL), mean globe diameter (MGD) (average of horizontal and vertical), and corneal horizontal (HCD) and vertical (VCD) diameters were measured using digital calipers. The relationships of age, gender and population origin with globe and corneal dimensions and the relationships between the dimensions were assessed by bivalent and multiple regression analyses.Globe and cornea dimensions increase asymptotically with age until around the late teens but do not change thereafter. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses of the >20-year-old eyes showed that population was significantly correlated with GAPL, MGD, HCD and VCD. Male globes and corneas were larger than those from females, but the difference did not appear to be statistically significant. All Hyderabad dimensions were significantly larger than those from the Miami. Neither GAPL nor MGD were correlated with the corneal dimensions. GAPL was significantly correlated with MGD as was HCD with VCD.

Morphology and Morphometric Analysis of the Caudate Lobe of Human Liver in Eastern India- A Cross-sectional Cadaveric Study

Introduction: The unique feature of caudate lobe of liver is that it has a dual blood supply. Since it is supplied both by branches of portal vein and hepatic artery, it may undergo compensatory hypertrophy in different hepatic diseases like cirrhosis of liver. In addition, excessive localised growth of the liver may be manifested as accessory lobules. Previous studies in different settings had implied an ethnic predisposition affecting the morphology of the liver. All these factors revealed an urgent need for further research regarding the surface variations and morphometry of the caudate lobe. Aim: To study the morphological variations and morphometric measurements of the caudate lobe of the human liver in eastern India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken on 51 formalin fixed adult human livers in Department of Anatomy, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India from March 2021 to September 2021. Vernier calliper was used to measure the Transverse Diameter (TD), Vertical Diameter (VD) and Anteroposterior Diameter (APD) of caudate lobe. In addition, the TD and APD diameters of Porta hepatis and TD of the right lobe of liver were also measured. Morphological variations were noted. The morphometric measurements and morphological variations of caudate lobe of liver were entered in Excel sheet which were further transported to IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS) version 12.0 (free version) for further analysis. Morphometric measurements were analysed by using descriptive statistics. Caudate to right lobe (CRL) ratio was calculated manually. Results: Most common type of shape of caudate lobe was rectangular (37.25%). Mean values (in cm) of TD, VD, APD of caudate lobe were 2.4±0.54, 4.7±0.75, 1.9±0.51 respectively. The value of mean CRL (caudate to right lobe) ratio was 0.30. Conclusion: A detailed anatomical knowledge of the caudate lobe would be helpful to the surgeon to suitably plan hepatic resections and may also guide the radiologist regarding correct interpretation of imaging technique.

L’ulcère de Mooren: une cause rare parfois grave d’ulcération cornéenne périphérique!

Mooren´s ulcer is a rare form of peripheral corneal ulceration. The ulcer originates from an inflammatory infiltrate involving the limbal cornea. The disease spreads circumferentially, resulting in ulceration that progresses around the limbo and then centrally. Treatment is based on local steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and conjunctival resection, amniotic membrane transplant and, in patients with severe perforation, on lamellar corneo-scleral transplant and appropriate immunosuppressive therapy. We here report the case of a male patient aged 55 years with nasal corneal ulceration involving the limbus. Ulceration extended circumferentially and centrally and was complicated by a perforation measuring 2.5 mm in vertical diameter with iris hernia. Possible causes of vasculitis were eliminated. The diagnosis Mooren´s ulcer was made. The patient received bolus application of corticosteroids and was referred for lamellar corneo-scleral transplant.

Diagnostic Accuracy of CBCT for the Detection of Accessory Mental Foramina Using Different Devices and Imaging Modalities

This study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of CBCT for detection of accessory mental foramina (AMFs) in dry mandibles using two different devices and three different CBCT imaging modalities. A total of 40 dry mandibles (20 per group) were selected to generate corresponding CBCT images, each with three different CBCT imaging modalities (high, standard, and low doses), using ProMax 3D Mid (Planmeca) and Veraview X800 (J. Morita). The presence, count (n), location, and diameter of the AMFs were measured on both dry mandibles and CBCT scans. The Veraview X800 with different imaging modalities showed the highest accuracy (97.5%), while the ProMax 3D Mid in low-dose imaging modality exhibited the lowest accuracy (93.8%). The most common AMF sites on dry mandibles were anterior-cranial and posterior-cranial, while anterior-cranial was the most frequent on CBCT scans. As for AMF diameter, the mean mesiodistal and vertical diameters on dry mandibles were 1.89 mm and 1.47 mm, respectively, which were greater or equal to the values obtained from CBCT scans. The overall diagnostic accuracy for assessing AMFs exhibited good results, but some caution is warranted when using a low-dose imaging modality with a large voxel size (400 μm).

Comprehensive evaluation of Korla fragrant pears and optimization of plucking time during the harvest period

To optimize the harvest of Korla fragrant pears and to provide a theoretical basis for post-harvest processing, a total of 26 basic indices of Korla fragrant pears, including their morphology, quality, and softening age, were investigated. The harvest period ranged from August 22nd to October 6th, samples were collected every 5 d (totally 10 plucking days, indicated as H1-H10). The results indicated that changes in pectin content were the main causes of softening in fragrant pears. The scavenging of free radicals mainly occurred because of the collaborative effects of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). In the harvest periods H1-H3, the hardness, titratable acid (TA), chlorophyll content, density, and diameter of the stone cells, as well as the cellulose and hemicellulose content of the Korla fragrant pears were at their highest. During the periods H7-H10, the single-fruit weight, fruit horizontal and vertical diameter, color coordinates L, a*, b*, soluble-solids content (SSC), SOD activity, CAT activity, and water-soluble pectin were higher than in the other plucking periods. The highest vitamin C (VC) content and moderate values for a variety of indicators were observed during H3-H7. Variations in the Korla fragrant pears during H1-H3 mainly manifested through changes in softening-related parameters. During H3-H10, changes in the softening-related, aging-related, color-related, and quality indices had a dominant role. On this basis, some suggestions for the post-harvest processing of fragrant pears have been proposed. Fruit, during H1-H3, are suitable for transportation and storage; during H7-H10 are suitable for fresh-eating and further processing; and during H3-H7, exhibited moderate values for a variety of indicators and had the highest commercial value. This research provides a systematic evaluation of the characteristics of mature Korla fragrant pears during the harvest period and can form the basis for fruit quality control and processing of Korla fragrant pears. Keywords: Korla fragrant pear, harvest period, plucking time, quality, fruit maturity, evaluation, optimization DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20221503.6474 Citation: Wang Z T, Tang Y R, Jin X Z, Liu Y, Zhang H, Niu H, et al. Comprehensive evaluation of Korla fragrant pears and optimization of plucking time during the harvest period. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2022; 15(3): 242–250.

Carcass characteristics and selected meat quality traits from commercial broiler chickens of different origin.

The aim of the study was to compare carcass and meat quality traits in 42-day-old Ross 308 and Cobb 500 broiler chickens. Forty carcasses were studied. Acidity (pH24 ) and electrical conductivity (EC24 ) of pectoralis major muscle and drumstick were determined 24 h postmortem. After carcass cutting, samples of breast and leg meat were collected for determination of quality traits. Broiler genotype had a significant effect on abdominal fat content in carcass and on water, protein, fat, sodium, and magnesium content in breast meat. Bird origin had an effect on the lightness, yellowness, horizontal diameter of muscle fiber, horizontal:vertical (H:V) diameter ratio, and most textural characteristics of pectoralis major muscle, as well as on the pH (pH24 ), electrical conductivity (EC24 ), and yellowness (b*) of leg muscles. Sex of birds had a significant effect on carcass weight, water, fat and collagen content, L*, a*, b* color attributes, and chewiness and gumminess of breast meat and on water and protein content in leg muscles. The present study provided information on the differences in carcass and meat quality between Ross 308 and Cobb 500 broiler chickens.

Optic disc and cup segmentations for glaucoma assessment using cup-to-disc ratio

Glaucoma is a silent disease that shows symptoms when severe, leading to partial vision loss or irreversible blindness. Early screening permits treating patients in time. For glaucoma screening, retinal images are very important since they enable the observation of initial glaucoma lesions, which typically begins with the cupping formation in the optic disc (OD). In clinical settings, practical indicators such as Cup-to-Disc Ratio (CDR) are frequently used to evaluate the presence and stage of glaucoma. The ratio between the cup and the optic disc can be measured using the vertical or horizontal diameter, or the area of the two. Mass screening programs are limited by the high costs of specialised teams and equipment. Current deep learning (DL) methods can assist the glaucoma mass screening, lower the cost and allow it to be extended to larger populations. With DL methods in the OD and optic cup (OC) segmentation, is possible to evaluate the presence of glaucoma in the patient more quickly based on cupping formation in the OD, using CDR.In this work, is assessed the contribution of Multi-Class and Single-Class segmentation methods for glaucoma screening using the 3 types of CDR. U-Net architecture is trained using transfer learning models (Inception V3 and Inception ResNet V2) to segment the OD and OC and then evaluate glaucoma prediction based on different types of CDRs indicators. The models were trained and evaluated on main public known databases (REFUGE, RIM-ONE r3 and DRISHTI-GS). The segmentation of both OD and OC reach Dice over 0.8 and IoU above 0.7. The CDRs were computed to glaucoma assessment where was reach sensitivity above 0.8, specificity of 0.7, F1-Score around 0.7 and AUC above 0.85. Finally, conclusions of segmentation methods showing adequate performance to be used in practical glaucoma screening.

Anatomical variations of the ethmomaxillary sinus

To establish the prevalence and individual variations of the ethmomaxillary sinus (EMS) using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). CBCT images from 553 dental and ENT patients (1106 sides), presenting to treatment at Minsk outpatient clinics, Belarus, were used in this study. The maximum vertical diameter of ethmomaxillary sinus in the coronal plane was measured. Anatomical variations of the ostiomeatal complex and mucosal diseases of paranasal sinuses were recorded. Ethmomaxillary sinus - is posterior ethmoidal cell extending to the posterior superior part of the maxillary sinus (MS) while draining into superior meatus. It was present in 13 of 553 patients (2.4%). The age of patients with EMS ranged from 12 to 60 years, including 8 males and 5 females. A total of 5 patients had unilateral EMS and 8 patients - bilateral EMS. Ethmomaxillary sinus was extended to the alveolar bone in five cases. Moreover, in two cases, the roots of the upper third molars protruded into its lumen. The enlarged posterior ethmoidal air cell can occupy the posterior superior portion of the maxillary sinus and even reach the alveolar bone. Such a cell is called the ethmomaxillary sinus and, as a rule, its presence is accompanied by excessive pneumatization of other cranial bones. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the ethmomaxillary sinus is most often not combined with the radiographic signs of maxillary sinusitis, and a direct communication of the EMS and MS was detected in only one patient.

A Morphometric Study of Humerus to Determine Sexual Dimorphism in Indian Population

Introduction: Recognising the gender from the skeleton or decomposed body is a difficult task. Morphometry of long bones is highly applicable in such cases. The morphological features of humerus show varying degrees of sexual dimorphism in various populations. Aim: The study is focused on the morphometric analysis of humerus to evaluate the most reliable parameter for sexual dimorphism in Indian subcontinent. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2016 to January 2020 on 82 dry completely ossified adult humeri of known sex (51 male and 31 female). The parameters included in this study were- Maximum Length of humerus (ML), Vertical Diameter of Head (VDH), Epicondylar Breadth (ECB), Maximum Mid-Shaft Diameter (Max. MSD) and Minimum Mid-Shaft Diameter (Min. MSD). The parameters were measured by electronic digital caliper and osteometric board. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was carried out to compute the demarking point and Discriminant Score (DS). Discriminant function analysis was performed using Wilk’s lambda to determine that which variable provided the best discrimination between sexes. Results: It was found that a higher demarking point indicates a male while the lower value indicates a female. In discriminant function analysis, the sectioning point greater than -0.42 was a male and less than -0.42 was a female. Wilk’s lambda was least for VDH (0.349) followed by ECB (0.467) and ML (0.486), whereas Max. and Min. MSD (0.771, 0.700) showed greater values. Conclusion: The VDH is the most reliable parameter in humerus for determination of sex followed by ECB and ML. Max. and Min. MSD have lesser contributions for sex determination. A combination of parameters is better than using a single parameter and this knowledge will be very helpful to forensic anthropologists.

Internal limiting membrane peeling for large macular hole: Tailoring the rhexis to the shape of the hole.

Purpose:To report a simple modification of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling tailored to the shape of the macular hole to improve the closure rates.Methods:This is a single-center interventional case series. conducted between 2016 and 2020. The minimum follow-up was 4 months. All surgeries were performed by one surgeon. Twenty consecutive patients (21 eyes) with large idiopathic macular holes (horizontal diameter: ≥600 μm) were enrolled; vertical hole diameters were also measured using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Following vitrectomy, ILM peeling was performed over a horizontally oval area (additional 1 disc-diameter temporally); perfluoropropane gas (C3F8, 15%) tamponade was used. Hole closure and change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were monitored after absorption of the gas. Preoperative and postoperative visual acuities were compared using paired t-test. IBM SPSS (ver. 26) was used for analysis.Results:The macular holes were horizontally oval rather than circular without exception: mean horizontal and vertical diameters were 714 μm (range: 600–1020 μm) and 602 μm (490–844 μm), respectively. Following vitrectomy, macular hole closure was obtained in 20/21 eyes by the last follow-up (mean: 28 months, median: 34 months; range 4–48 months). Mean Snellen BCVA improved from 20/200 to 20/63 (P < 0.0001).Conclusion:All the macular holes in the study were observed to be horizontally oval. A corresponding horizontal enlargement of the ILM rhexis yielded excellent anatomical and satisfactory visual outcomes.

Studies of critical heat fluxes in small diameter channels

The paper presents the results of experimental studies of critical heat flows in vertical small diameter channels, when the coolant moves from bottom to top, which were carried out in the Obninsk branch of MEPhI in the 1970s of the last century but have not become widespread due to the lack of demand for their practical use. Nowadays, the interest in such works is manifested, first of all, in the development of compact plants and devices, particularly in nuclear power engineering. As a coolant, water, Freon-12 and 96% ethyl alcohol were used. High velocities of underheated liquid at high heat fluxes on the channel wall lead to the so-called “fast crisis” of heat transfer. In this case, the magnitude of the heat flux depends mainly on the parameters of the coolant flow in the wall zone rather than the flow core. The “slow crisis” is mainly observed at high vapor concentrations, relatively low mass flow rates and in an annular-dispersed flow. The value of the critical heat flow in this case depends mainly on the flow parameters in the core, which are probably close to the average coolant flow parameters. The conditions in the near-wall region are also largely determined by the flow in the core. High heat transfer coefficients in a flow moving at high speed usually result in a much smaller and slower rise in the wall temperature. Sometimes a DNB heat flux can occur bypassing the boiling process. In the core of a VVER-type reactor operating in its nominal mode, surface boiling is present in a number of fuel rods. Probably, surface boiling will also be present in transportable and small-size nuclear power plants. Therefore, an important task is to conduct relevant research in this area.

Preoperative Evaluation and Surgical Simulation for Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Elbow Using Three-Dimensional MRI-CT Image Fusion Images.

We used our novel three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging-computed tomography fusion images (3D MRI-CT fusion images; MCFIs) for detailed preoperative lesion evaluation and surgical simulation in osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow. Herein, we introduce our procedure and report the findings of the assessment of its utility. We enrolled 16 men (mean age: 14.0 years) and performed preoperative MRI using 7 kg axial traction with a 3-Tesla imager and CT. Three-dimensional-MRI models of the humerus and articular cartilage and a 3D-CT model of the humerus were constructed. We created MCFIs using both models. We validated the findings obtained from the MCFIs and intraoperative findings using the following items: articular cartilage fissures and defects, articular surface deformities, vertical and horizontal lesion diameters, the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) classification, and surgical procedures. The MCFIs accurately reproduced the lesions and correctly matched the ICRS classification in 93.5% of cases. Surgery was performed as simulated in all cases. Preoperatively measured lesion diameters exhibited no significant differences compared to the intraoperative measurements. MCFIs were useful in the evaluation of OCD lesions and detailed preoperative surgical simulation through accurate reproduction of 3D structural details of the lesions.

261 A case of metastatic myxoid liposarcoma causing cardiac tamponade

Abstract Aims Primary cardiac tumors are generally benign. In one series of over 12 000 autopsies, only seven cases of malignant primary cardiac tumors were identified, for an incidence of less than 0.1%. By comparison, metastatic involvement of the heart is over 20 times more common and has been reported in autopsy series in up to one in five patients dying of cancer. Myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) is the second most common subtype of liposarcoma and it usually occurs in deep tissues of the extremity, especially in the calf or thigh. Some tumors have round cell areas that represent histologic progression to high-grade tumours. Round cells, defined as &amp;gt; 5% of the total cells, are associated with higher malignancy and metastatic potential, resulting in an unfavourable outcome in patients affected. Patients with MLS tend to have metastases to extra pulmonary sites, such as abdominal wall, abdominal cavity, retroperitoneum, and bone, even in the absence of pulmonary metastases. Although several authors have reported a high proportion of extra pulmonary metastases of MLS, cardiac metastasis is extremely rare. Methods and results We present a case of a young woman who underwent resection of calf liposarcoma with the onset of cardiac metastases after 18 years, with cardiac tamponade as a clinical onset. MRI confirmed the cardiac solid mass already evident on CT scan, located along the free anterior wall of the right ventricle in the mid-basal area; the lesion seemed to have pericardial implantation with the free wall of the right ventricle was not well cleaved by the lesion in the Cine-MRI sequences. However it was always visible in the post-contrast sequences without evident protrusion of the lesion into the cavity or signs of thrombosis. The parietal pericardium was located on the periphery of the lesion and was not recognizable in some points. The lesion consisted of two portions, a lower one in which some components with characteristics of adipose signal were recognizable, while the upper one was more solid and vascularized. There was persistence of inhomogeneous and diffuse late enhancement at the lesion level. PET revealed pathological hyper accumulations of radiopharmaceuticals in the heart lesion along the anterior wall of the right ventricle, with central hypocaptation area, possible expression of necrotic-colliquative phenomena. Other hyper accumulations were found in the mediastinal lymph node in the pre-carenal area. These findings were referable to the presence of glucose hyper metabolic tissue of suspected neoplastic significance. The patient temporarily declined surgical excision, but after one month, due to the worsening of her symptoms, she returned to emergency room: The CT scan showed a volumetric increase in cardiac mass with a vertical diameter of 8 cm and adhering to the right ventricle for 7 cm. Thanks to the possibility of surgery, patient underwent exeresis of the capsulated epicardial mass adhering to the anterior wall of the right ventricle and to the pericardium, with removal of the ventricular wall and reconstruction with a bovine pericardium patch and without postoperative complications. Conclusions In MLS the time intervals between the onset of primary disease and cardiac metastasis were reported to be relatively long, ranging from 1 to 25 years. The initial site of metastatic disease in our patient was the heart: she had a solitary cardiac tumour that presented 18 years after the primary surgery in the absence of metastases at other sites. When a cardiac metastasis is found incidentally, it is usually incurable.

Size-Fractionated Filtration Combined with Molecular Methods Reveals the Size and Diversity of Picophytoplankton.

Simple SummaryIn order to accurately characterize the composition of the picophytoplankton community by size in the marine environment, we used a size-fractionated filtration plus a high-throughput sequencing molecular method. The results showed that this method can detect the composition of picophytoplankton in different particle size ranges in detail, and it is accurate in assessing the vertical distribution patterns and size of phytoplankton. This method can enrich the study of phytoplankton communities with diameters of less than 2 μm.In this study, flow cytometry (FCM) and size-fractionated filtration, together with high-throughput molecular sequencing methods (SM), were used to investigate picophytoplankton. A particle separation filter and a higher-throughput sequencing method were used to evaluate the composition of a euphotic zone of picophytoplankton—especially picoeukaryotic phytoplankton—in the Western Pacific, and the results of flow cytometry, which is a classic way to detect picophytoplankton, were used as a standard to evaluate the reliability of the results of the SMs. Within a water column of 200 m, six water depths (5, 25, 50, 113 (DCM), 150, and 200 m) were established. In order to further study the particle size spectra of the picophytoplankton, size-fractionated filtration was used to separate water samples from each water depth into three particle size ranges: 0.2–0.6, 0.6–1.2, and 1.2–2 μm. A total of 36 (6 × 3 × 2) samples were obtained through PCR amplification of the 18S rRNA V4 hypervariable region and 16S rRNA, which were biased toward phytoplankton plastids, and then high-throughput sequencing was performed. The estimation of the picophytoplankton diameter relied on forward scattering (FSC) through FCM. The estimation of the vertical distribution and diameter of the picophytoplankton using the SM was consistent with the results with FCM; thus, we believe that the estimation of picophytoplankton composition with the SM has value as a reference, although the size-fractionated filtration seemed to cause some deviations. In addition to Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, the SM was used to evaluate the composition of picoeukaryotic phytoplankton, which mainly included Prymnesiophycea (Haptophyta) (38.15%), Cryptophyceae (Cryptophyta) (22.36%), Dictyochophyceae (Chrysophyta) (12.22%), and Mamiellophyceae (Chlorophyta) (3.31%). In addition, the SM also detected Dinophyceae (Dinoflagellata) (11.69%) sequences and a small number of Bacillariophyceae (Diatom) (1.64%) sequences, which are generally considered to have large particle sizes. The results of the SM also showed that the picoeukaryotic phytoplankton were not evenly distributed in the euphotic layer, and the vertical distributions of the different picoeukaryotic phytoplankton were different. An analysis of correlations with environmental factors showed that temperature was the main environmental factor controlling the vertical distribution of picophytoplankton.

Mental foramen of Human Mandible: Morphometric Study

Aim: The aim of our study was to perform a morphometric analysis of the mental foramen in senegalese context. Material and method: The study was performed on thirty-nine dry mandibles of adult humans. On these mandibles, the number of mental foramen present and their shape were noted on inspection. The situation of the foramen in relation to the lower teeth was studied according to a methodology already described. The following measurements were made: the distance between the foramen and the other landmarks of the mandible (symphysis, basilar border, posterior border), vertical and horizontal diameters. Results: The number of mental foramina were 39 on the right and 40 on the left: one mandible presented a double foramen on the left. The oval shape was predominant. The most frequent situation was below the second premolar on both sides. The mean distance between the foramen and the mandibular symphysis was 25mm on both sides. The distance between the foramen and the basilar border of the mandible was on average 13mm on the right and 14mm on the left. The distance between the foramen and the posterior border of the mandible was on average 72mm on the right and 73mm on the left. The average vertical diameter was 33mm on the right and 32mm on the left, and the average horizontal diameter was 4mm on both sides. Conclusion: Mental foramen is a constant anatomical structure, found on all the mandibles studied. The results can be superimposed on those described in the majority of studies carried out on the mental foramen. Key words: Mental Foramen, Mandible Anatomy, Morphometry.