Vertical Patterns Research Articles

Comprehensive positional and morphological assessments of the temporomandibular joint in adolescents with skeletal Class III malocclusion: a retrospective CBCT study

BackgroundCondyle-fossa relationships in adolescents with skeletal Class III malocclusion remain unclear. Therefore, this study used cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to evaluate the position and morphology of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in adolescents with skeletal Class III malocclusion.MethodsIn this cross-sectional retrospective study, CBCT images from 90 adolescents with skeletal Class III malocclusion and 30 controls were analysed. Adolescents with skeletal Class III malocclusion were divided into different groups based on (1) sex (male and female), (2) sides (right and left), (3) age (early, middle, and late adolescence), and (4) vertical skeletal patterns (hyperdivergent, normodivergent, and hypodivergent). Morphology of the condyle and fossa as well as condylar position, was compared among groups. Data were collected and submitted for statistical analysis. This study adheres to STROBE guidelines.ResultsRegarding the intergroup comparisons, there were significant differences in TMJ position and morphology between the skeletal Class III malocclusion with different vertical skeletal patterns and control groups (P < 0.05). Within groups, condyle-fossa relationships differed significantly according to sex, age, and vertical skeletal patterns (P < 0.05); however, the mean values were not statistically different between left and right sides in adolescents with skeletal Class III malocclusion.ConclusionsOur findings can be used clinically and radiographically to evaluate the condyle and glenoid fossa features in adolescents with skeletal Class III malocclusion, providing a basis for better TMD diagnosis and orthodontic treatment.

Trapped microplastics within vertical redeposited sediment: Experimental study simulating lake and channeled river systems during resuspension events

Plastic waste and its fragments (microplastics; <5 mm) have been observed in almost all types of environments. However, the mechanisms underlying the flow and transport processes of plastics are unknown. This is particularly valid for river sediments, where complex interactions occur between particles and influence their vertical and horizontal distribution patterns. In this study, we investigated the vertical redistribution of 14 pristine microplastics (MPs) with different densities, sizes, and shapes within disturbed sediment without lateral transport (i.e., low-velocity flow). MPs were spiked into sediments (height: 8 cm) in a column with a height of 1 m (diameter: 6 cm) filled to the top with water. The sediment was perturbed by turning the column upside-down to simulate remobilization and the subsequent deposition of sediment. After the complete sedimentation of the particles, the water column was filtered and the sediment was cut into vertical sections. MPs were then extracted from the sediment using sieves and a density separation method, and were counted under a stereomicroscope. Low-density polymers were mainly recovered in the water column and at the surface of the sediment, whereas high-density polymers were found within all sediment sections. The vertical distribution of high-density polymers changes primarily with the sediment grain size. The distribution of each polymer type changes depending on the size and/or shape of the particles with complex interactions. The observed distributions were compared with the expected distributions based only on the vertical velocity formulas. Overall, the formulas used did not explain the sedimentation of a portion of low-density polymers and predicted a lower distribution in the sediment than those observed in the experiment. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of considering MPs as multi-dimensional particles and provides clues to understand their fate in low-velocity flow systems, considering that they undergo scavenging in sediments.

Unusual composition and vertical zonation patterns amongst the biota of pebble and cobble shores

Research on the composition and distribution patterns of intertidal biota has focused mostly on either sandy or rocky shores, with much less work on boulder shores and almost none on shores of particle grain sizes between 1 - < 256 mm. Recent studies have shown, however, that pebble (4–64 mm) and cobble (65–256 mm) shores comprise a very distinct habitat type, sheltering a biota less than 10% similar to those of either sandy, or boulder and rocky shores. This paper examines the composition and distribution patterns of the biota of seven pebble and five cobble shores along the South-Western coastline of South Africa, each surveyed by sampling a transect of eight equally-spaced 20 × 20 cm quadrats from low to high shore. Overall, 39 taxa were recorded, but only 14 occurred more than once and are thus considered characteristic of pebble and cobble habitats. The biota comprised many species typical of hard-substrata, some typical of sandy beaches, and a few unique to pebble and cobble habitats. Dominant species were mostly air-breathing Arthropoda, plus one pulmonate Gastropoda. Macro-algae were notably absent. Unlike the burrowing species of sandy shores, or attached species of rocky and boulder shores, pebble and cobble shore species were almost all motile, no doubt to withstand the mobility of rolling grains. Also, unlike most other intertidal shores, the fauna was concentrated around the high shore, where food was most available in the form of drift kelp. Some air-breathing species migrated well into the intertidal at low tide, but presumably retreat above the high-water mark during high tide.

Aesthetic preferences of individuals when evaluating photographs of facial profiles with different sagittal and vertical growth patterns. A cross-sectional study

To evaluate the aesthetic preferences of individuals by observing photographs of different facial profiles with different sagittal and vertical growth patterns. Cross-sectional study that evaluated 300 students from a private university. Edited photographs of a man and a woman were used. The maxilla being moved in a vertical direction while the mandible was moved in a sagittal direction, various combinations of the photographic profile of the two individuals were created. These movements created 9 photographic profiles for the woman and the man; for intra-observer reliability, two photo profiles of both sexes were duplicated. Chi square tests and binary logistic regression were used. P<0.05. In general, the evaluated individuals mostly preferred the type 6 profile (65.7%), followed by the type 5 profile (21.7%) (slightly convex). It was found that for every year of age that an individual increases, there is a 31% greater chance of choosing one of these profiles. Both sexes prefer a straight or slightly convex profile, and as age increases, individuals prefer a straight profile.

Vertical distribution patterns of zooplankton across a gradient of fish predation in boreal lakes

Abstract Different physical factors such as solar radiation and wind impose strong vertical gradients in lake water columns and have important consequences on the distribution of aquatic organisms, from bacteria to fish. The heterogeneous vertical distribution of zooplankton in lakes is a clear example of a pattern related to these vertical gradients. Although the vertical distribution of zooplankton is probably controlled by multiple factors including light, resources, and predation, we still lack an integrated view of the interplay among these potential drivers, which are most often analysed separately. Moreover, most studies focussed on temperate lakes in which both phytoplankton resources and predation risk from fish are highest in the epilimnion, whereas only a few investigated boreal lakes, where phytoplankton is often more abundant in the metalimnion than in the epilimnion and cold‐stenothermic fishes prey on zooplankton below the warm epilimnetic layers. Here we investigated zooplankton vertical distribution in the epi‐ and metalimnetic waters of 17 boreal lakes that varied in fish predation, resource quantity and quality, and optical properties. The lakes were sampled at midday and midnight at five different depths in the well‐lit epi‐ and metalimnetic layers, where the strongest gradient in light (and predation risk) were expected. We used a multi‐model inference approach combined with linear modelling to examine the relative effects of physical factors (light attenuation, temperature and moon phase), resources (chlorophyll‐a and polyunsaturated fatty acids), and predation (fish and Chaoborus) on depth selection in four zooplankton taxa. All taxa showed a heterogeneous vertical distribution that in most cases had a clear diel migration pattern. Both predation and resources (food and temperature gradient) were associated with vertical depth selection by zooplankton, but each taxon had different responses to each factor. Vertebrate predators were associated with the vertical distribution of Daphnia, Calanoida, and Cyclopoida, but—unexpectedly—all these taxa reduced their diel vertical migration patterns in the presence of fish. Invertebrate predators were better correlated with the distribution of Cyclopoida, which tended to be shallower when Chaoborus was abundant. Food abundance seemed important for Holopedium glacialis and Calanodia, while the temperature gradient was partly associated with both Daphnia spp. and Calanoida distribution. Finally, we found an intriguing, albeit weak, positive association between the vertical distribution of Cyclopoida and that of food quality. These results showed that taxa less vulnerable to predators such as H. glacialis perform inverse DVM, and that this is at least partly related to moon phase rather than to fish predation. They also suggest that boreal lakes colonised by stenothermic planktivorous fish behave differently from the classical DVM paradigm, given that visual predators do not have access to fully lit layers.

Vertically Resolved Pelagic Particle Biomass and Size Structure Across a Continental Shelf Under the Influence of a Western Boundary Current

AbstractContinental shelves are key to societal interactions with the oceans, supporting &gt;90% of the world's fisheries through highly productive ecosystems. Previous research has shown that phytoplankton biomass is generally higher on the inner continental shelves, often due to increased nutrient inputs from upwelling or coastal run‐off. However, consistency in observed vertical and horizontal gradients (in abundance, biomass or size) of larger particulates, including zooplankton, on continental shelves has not been established. Using an optical plankton counter and CTD mounted on an undulating towed body, we present high‐resolution vertically resolved profiles of pelagic particle size structure across a continental shelf. Biomass was highest inshore, declining with distance from shore and with depth in the top 100 m of the water column, although the presence of frontal zones can alter this pattern. In the region adjacent to the East Australian Current (EAC), uplift generated by either the EAC interacting with the continental slope or upwelling‐favorable winds, correlated with smaller geometric mean sizes and steeper size spectrum slopes, particularly in the presence of frontal features. South of the EAC separation, the continental shelf water mass was more homogenous but still displayed the same horizontal and vertical patterns in particulate biomass and mean size. By combining our observations in a global comparison, we demonstrate consistent particulate distributions on continental shelves where the inner shelf has higher biomass with a steeper size spectrum slope compared to offshore. The highly productive inner shelf supports zooplankton communities vital to temperate ecosystems and coastal fisheries, through their consistently high biomass.

Depositional processes of the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate system in the Lower Cambrian Xiannüdong Formation in the northern Sichuan Basin, South China

Mixed siliciclastic-carbonate systems contain significant heterogeneity of facies associations which complicates the interpretation of depositional environments and platform evolution. The Lower Cambrian Xiannüdong Formation in the northern Sichuan Basin was deposited in a mixed system which is characterized by the non-skeleton grain (ooids and microbialites) dominated carbonates mixed with siliciclastic sediments. Such a depositional system provides a template to decipher the facies variability of mixed depositional systems and the evolution of platform geometry. Based on the facies analysis in outcrops and drilling wells, seventeen lithofacies were identified and grouped into seven lithofacies associations which represents a shallow-marine environment dominated by wave and storm activities. The vertical stacking pattern of lithofacies in the Xiannüdong Formation archives a regressive cycle which can be subdivided into four sub-cycles (i.e., S1 to S4). All the four sub-cycles exhibit the characteristic of the shallowing-upward successions, which are overlain by a flooding unit. The spatial distribution of lithofacies suggests an eastward-inclined platform. The migrating ooid shoals together with the storm activities may prevent the platform from evolving into a rimmed shelf. The lateral and vetical distribution of the terrigenous materials indicates that the provenance of terrigenous sediments were mainly sourced from the Kangdian and Bikou massifs, which indicates that the mixed system and the provenance area were separated by the Mianyang-Changning trough. Therefore, the transport of siliciclastic materials was related to the available accommodation space on the shelf, and was controlled by the eustatic sea-level fluctuation, with increased input of siliciclastic material occurred during phases of relative sea-level rise. The input of siliciclastic sediments brings nutrition for the growth of algal–archaeocyathan mounds, and therefore the mounds were mainly developed in the lower part of Xiannüdong Formation. Moreover, high siliciclastic sediments influx would also influence the growth of ooids by serving nuclei and promoting abrasion, which resulted in smaller ooid size compared to those of the relatively pure oolite. This study provides clues to understanding the facies variability in mixed systems and servers as a valuable reference for studies of other similar platforms.

Role of craniofacial phenotypes in the response to oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea.

Mandibular advancement device (MAD) is a good alternative for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the treatment response varies among individuals. This study aimed to explore the role of craniofacial features in the response to MADs to improve prognostication and patient selection. The retrospective trial contained 42 males aged 41.5±9.0 years, and with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 21.5±13.8 events/h. According to the mandibular plane angle, participants were divided into three groups: low angle (n=13), average angle (n=14), and high angle (n=15). Under monitor of home sleep testing, adjustable MADs were used to titrate the mandible forward from 0 mm with an increment of 0.5 mm every day. The polysomnography outcomes, mandibular protrusion amounts, changes in upper airway MRI measurements, and nasal resistance were compared among three groups. The normalization rate (AHI < 5 /h) was 92.3%, 57.1%, and 46.7% respectively in the low, average, and high angle groups (p=0.027). The effective protrusion where AHI was reduced by half was 20 (11.3~37.5) %, 31.3 (23.6~50) %, and 50 (36.9~64.9) % of the maximal mandibular protrusion, in the low, average, and high angle groups (p=0.004). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that increased gonion angle (OR=0.878) and baseline AHI(OR=0.868) can reduce the probability of normalization. The high mandibular plane angle might be an unfavorable factor to MAD treatment and more protrusion was needed to achieve a 50% reduction in AHI. Vertical craniofacial pattern (gonion angle) and baseline AHI constituted the model for predicting the effect of MADs.

Permafrost Affected Soils of the Alazeya River Basin: Properties, Mineralogy and Classification

Physico-chemical properties and vertical distribution patterns of clay minerals in the weakly differentiated soils were studied. The soils are located in the Kolyma lowland plain; they have formed in a cold and ultracontinental climate. The study objects cover a broad range of the landscape diversity: the marsh and alas meadows and typical northern taiga landscapes. Despite the fact that weathering processes are weakly developed at high latitudes, mineral transformation represented by chlorite-illite association led to presence of (i) vermiculite in the acidic soil horizons of the alas meadow and the zonal northern taiga landscapes and (ii) iron hydroxide – lepidocrocite in the profile from the marsh meadow. It was shown that classification of the Kriozem located in the open woodland landscapes that are typical in the northern taiga does not cause difficulties based on the profile-genetic approaches of the national classification system. Oppositely, classification of the permafrost affected soils located in the intrazone landscapes of the marsh and alas meadows should be further clarified.

Association of Symphyseal Morphology with Lower Incisor Inclination in Sagittal and Vertical Growth Patterns

Background: The mandibular symphysis is the bodily carnal part of the mandible that consist of alveolar and cortical bones. The mandibular symphysis has different parts like chin, or mentum that consist of unique features of modern humans. Objective: The study aimed to explore the correlation of lower incisor inclination growth pattern with the symphyseal morphology. Study design: It is a retrospective study conducted at Orthodontic Department, Shahida Islam Dental College, Lodhran and Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi for the duration of six months from February 2022 to July 2022. Material and Methods: The correlation between all parameters was studied by ANOVA and other statistical analysis were also performed. The study approval was taken from the review board and ethical committee of the hospital. A total of 18 patients participated in this study. The patients were classified according to the facial category i.e. long, normal, and short. Class I comprises 8 patients and class III comprises 10 patients. Results: An increased value was observed in the case of class I with vertical growth patterns while the value decreased in the case of class III. Three different types of incisor inclinations were observed that is over jet positive, over jet negative, and edge to edge. Conclusion: From this study, it is predicted that a correlation exists between vertical growth patterns and sagittal growth patterns for the inclination in incisors. The height and width of the symphysis and facial patterns are also related to vertical growth patterns and indirectly affect the inclination of incisors. High angle facials have thin and long symphysis, while low angle facials have thick and short symphysis. Keywords: short symphysis, soft tissue and growth dimension.

Vertical partition patterns of infiltration within soil profile and its control factors at large-scale arid mountainous areas

Infiltration process controls how rainfall is stored in soil and subsequently used by plants, thus, plays a critical role in eco-hydrological processes. However, the vertical pattern of infiltration partitioning within a soil profile and the factors that control it remain poorly understood, especially in data-scarce mountainous areas. Based on a large-scale long-term soil moisture (SM) network in the Qilian Mountains, Northwest China, we explored infiltration partitioning and its control factors using a new metric, percentage of soil water storage increment in each layer to the soil profile during a rainfall infiltration event (PSTI). We found that both vegetations with deep roots and wet SM conditions facilitated infiltration into the deeper soil, although meadow favored infiltration within the surface layer. Hillslope stations showed a higher degree of infiltration partitioning in subsurface layers than the flatland stations due to the influence of topography on soil properties. Meanwhile, the increasing slope gradient will reduce the partition of infiltration at the subsurface layers. Among the soil properties, sand content, soil organic carbon, α (parameter of soil retention curve), and soil saturated hydraulic conductivity promoted infiltration into greater depth, while clay content and bulk density had the opposite effect. The major factors controlling the pattern of infiltration partitioning were n (parameter of soil retention curve) for 0–10 cm depth, α for 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm depths, and SM for PSTI below 30 cm. This quantitative analysis method for the infiltration partitioning improves our understanding of infiltration regimes, and supports water resources management in dryland mountains.

New insight into Salpa thompsoni distribution via glider-borne acoustics

Salpa thompsoniis an ephemerally abundant pelagic tunicate in the waters of the Southern Ocean that makes significant contributions to carbon flux and nutrient recycling in the region. WhileS. thompsoni, hereafter referred to as “salps”, was historically described as a polar-temperate species with a latitudinal range of 40 – 60°S, observations of salps in coastal waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula have become more common in the last 50 years. There is a need to better understand the variability in salp densities and vertical distribution patterns in Antarctic waters to improve predictions of their contribution to the global carbon cycle. We used acoustic data obtained from an echosounder mounted to an autonomous underwater Slocum glider to investigate the anomalously high densities of salps observed in Palmer Deep Canyon, at the Western Antarctic Peninsula, in the austral summer of 2020. Acoustic measurements of salps were made synchronously with temperature and salinity recordings (all made on the glider downcasts), and asynchronously with chlorophyll-ameasurements (made on the glider upcasts and matched to salp measurements by profile) across the depth of the water column near Palmer Deep Canyon for 60 days. Using this approach, we collected high-resolution data on the vertical and temporal distributions of salps, their association with key water masses, their diel vertical migration patterns, and their correlation with chlorophyll-a. While salps were recorded throughout the water column, they were most prevalent in Antarctic Surface Water. A peak in vertical distribution was detected from 0 – 50 m regardless of time of day or point in the summer season. We found salps did not undergo diel vertical migration in the early season, but following the breakdown of the remnant Winter Water layer in late January, marginal diel vertical migration was initiated and sustained through to the end of our study. There was a significant, positive correlation between salp densities and chlorophyll-a. To our knowledge, this is the first high resolution assessment of salp spatial (on the vertical) and temporal distributions in the Southern Ocean as well as the first to use glider-borne acoustics to assess salpsin situ.

Correlation between the three-dimensional maxillomandibular complex parameters and pharyngeal airway dimensions in different sagittal and vertical malocclusions.

This study aimed to determine the three-dimensional (3D) correlation between maxillomandibular complex parameters and pharyngeal airway dimensions in different sagittal and vertical malocclusions. This retrospective cross-sectional study included the CBCT scans of 368 patients with a mean age of 23.81 ± 3.01 years. The patients were classified into three groups (skeletal Class I, II, and III). Each class group was divided into three subgroups based on vertical growth patterns (hypo-, normo-, and hyperdivergent). The maxillomandibular complex was evaluated in the three planes using 16 skeletal measurements. Naso-, oro-, hypo-, and total pharyngeal airway spaces were assessed in terms of width, volume, surface area, and minimum constricted area (MCA). Two-way ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni post-hoc test were used. The nasopharyngeal airway space was significantly lowest regarding sagittal and lateral widths in the skeletal Class III patients, the lowest volume and surface area were in hyperdivergent patients, and MCA was the highest in Class II and hypodivergent patients. The oro- and hypopharyngeal sagittal width, volume, surface area, and MCA were the lowest in the hyperdivergent patients, and oropharyngeal lateral width and hypopharyngeal sagittal width were the highest in skeletal Class III. The total pharyngeal volume, surface area, and MCA were the lowest in the hyperdivergent patients, and skeletal Class II patients had the lowest MCA. The pharyngeal airway dimensions differ with various sagittal and vertical malocclusions. These differences could apply to diagnosis, treatment planning, and possible changes following orthodontic/orthopedic or surgical treatment.

Strong variations and shifting mechanisms of altitudal diversity and abundance patterns in soil oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) on the Changbai Mountain, China

Biological composition and structure vary strongly with elevation, however, the vertical distribution of soil fauna and its drivers have been rarely investigated. Oribatid mites play an essential role in soil faunal composition, where they can occur at high densities and mediate soil ecological processes and functions. Here, we comprehensively investigated the composition and diversity of soil oribatid mites, at nine altitudes (from 600 to 2200 m asl) and four vegetation types from forest to alpine tundra on the Changbai Mountain in July 2021. In total, 67 species were identified among 37,224 oribatid mite individuals. Oribatid mite species varied strongly with altitude and vegetation type, and only a few species overlapped between elevations. Species abundance and diversity declined significantly as altitude increased, while abundance exhibited a hump-shaped distribution along an elevational gradient, peaking at 1200 m. Beta diversity decomposition analyses revealed that species replacement processes dominated community compositional differences across all study sites (both between vegetation types and elevations). Meanwhile, soil oribatid mite community composition is greatly affected by elevation and vegetation type. Specifically, oribatid mite community varies with elevation across vegetation types. Twelve and twenty indicator species were found at different elevations and vegetation types, respectively. Our study shows that soil moisture content, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, ammonium nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen are the most dominant drivers of oribatid mite composition patterns. These findings indicate oribatid mite assemblages have a distinct vertical distribution pattern and are coupled with different aboveground vegetation types, implying that changes in aboveground vegetation will cause shifts in soil fauna under future climate change.

GaN damage-free cyclic etching by sequential exposure to Cl2 plasma and Ar plasma with low Ar+-ion energy at substrate temperature of 400 °C

Damage-free atomic layer etching (ALE) of GaN was demonstrated using a cyclic process in which the chlorinated layer formed by Cl2 plasma exposure was removed by exposure to Ar plasma with energy-controlled ions when the substrate temperature was maintained at 400 °C. The layer chlorinated at 400 °C by Cl2 plasma exposure was found to be thinner than that chlorinated at 25 °C. Therefore, in the case of an Ar+-ion energy of 70 eV, the “ALE synergy” parameter, which quantifies the degree to which a process approaches the ideal ALE regime, decreased from 86% at a substrate temperature of 25 °C to 24% at a substrate temperature of 400 °C. A substrate temperature of 400 °C promoted etching even at the lower ion energy of 40 eV, thereby resulting in a higher ALE synergy of 62%. The vertical etching profile with no degradation of photoluminescence near the band edge on the etched surface was then observed. The proposed high-temperature ALE method is promising for realizing a vertical pattern profile via damage-free etching of GaN.

Varying test-pattern duration to explore the dynamics of contrast-comparison and contrast-normalization processes.

In this paper, we examine the dynamics of contrast-comparison and contrast-normalization processes. Observers adapted (for 1 second) to a grid of Gabor patches at one contrast; then a test pattern (which varied in duration from 12 ms to 3012 ms) was shown; and then the adapt pattern was shown again (1 second). All the Gabor patches in all the adapt patterns had 50% contrast. The test pattern was the same as the adapt pattern except that the Gabor patches in the test pattern had two different contrasts; the test contrasts varied from row to row (horizontal test pattern) or column to column (vertical test pattern). The task was to identify the orientation of the contrast variation in the test pattern (in other words, the observer performed a second-order orientation identification task). The two contrasts in each test pattern were varied while keeping the difference between the two contrasts constant. We have previously found that the observer's performance is poor for test patterns containing contrasts both above and below the adapt patterns' contrast (what we have called the "straddle effect") when the test duration is approximately 100 ms. Here, we find the straddle effect persists at all test durations we used. Other features of the results varied dramatically with test duration. We find that a simple model containing contrast-comparison and contrast-normalization processes provides a good explanation for the psychophysical results. The results provide some insight into the dynamics of these processes.

Orthodontic Treatment Does Not Affect Frontal Sinus Development in Female Adults: A Clinical Study.

Frontal sinus growth is gradual and lasts until post-puberty. However, the influence of biomechanical stimuli, such as orthodontic treatment, on frontal sinus development after the growth period has ended remains unclear. This study was designed to elucidate the impact of orthodontic treatment on the frontal sinus morphology of adult females. Sixty women were included and divided into three groups, based on the Frankfort mandibular plane angle. All participants underwent computed tomography and lateral cephalometry before and after treatment. Although two participants exhibited frontal sinus agenesis, most exhibited a bilaterally symmetric frontal sinus without fusion. The frontal sinus width and height were almost similar, irrespective of the vertical skeletal pattern, where the frontal sinus depth was significantly larger in the average mandibular plane angle group than in the low- and high-angle groups. Furthermore, the sinus volume in the low-angle group was likely smaller than that in the average and high-angle groups. On comparing pre-treatment and post-treatment measurements, minimal or no changes to the frontal sinus dimension were detected after treatment. In conclusion, orthodontic treatment did not affect frontal sinus development after the end of growth.

Effect of rapid maxillary expander with posterior bite blocks in hyperdivergent patients with adenoid hypertrophy- A cephalometric study

To analyze the effect of Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME) with posterior bite blocks on craniofacial structures in hyperdivergent patients with adenoid hypertrophy and to compare them with control group. 32 patients of adenoid hypertrophy (mean age 11.6 yrs, range 8-12 years) with a transverse discrepancy were selected and divided into two groups in a random way - Group A: (n=16) hyrax RME with posterior bite block group, Group B: (n=16) control group. Group A- Lateral and Posteroanterior cephalograms were recorded pretreatment (T0), postexpansion (T1), and after 9 months retention (T2). Group B- Lateral and Posteroanterior cephalograms were recorded pretreatment (T0), and after 9 months (T2) concurrent with Group A. Cephalometric measurements in sagittal, vertical and transverse dimensions were taken and comparison was made using Paired and Unpaired t-test with p &amp;#60; 0.05 as statistically significant. Group A underwent insignificant increase in SN-MP angle whereas it increased significantly in Group B. The lower facial height and jarabak’s ratio decreased significantly. All transverse parameters increased significantly with maximum increase in intermolar width when compared with Group B. Significant increase in the transverse dimensions of mid face occurs with RME thus increasing the upper airway patency and effective control of the vertical growth pattern, typical of adenoid hypertrophy, was seen in the treatment group when compared with the control group.

The Role of Maxillofacial Structure and Malocclusion on Condylar Displacement in Maximum Intercuspation and Centric Relation in Patients Seeking Orthodontic Treatment-A Scoping Review.

Available knowledge about malocclusion and cephalometric variables and their connection with an increased risk of condylar displacement (CD) is scarce. This article aims to present current information on the relationship between centric relation-maximum intercuspal position discrepancies and maxillofacial morphology and malocclusion in patients seeking orthodontic treatment as well as to identify those who require expanded diagnostic evaluation for this disorder. This review analyzed the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus electronic databases up to February 2022. Keywords and additional manual searches were performed. Literature selection was based the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The JBI Critical Appraisal Tool assessed the methodological quality of included studies. The databases search provided 2321 studies. A total of 10 studies were included in this review after eligibility criteria and JBI assessment. This review was separated into five parts that evaluated CD correlations depending on the following: maxillofacial structure in different vertical and sagittal skeletal patterns, vertical, horizontal, and transverse malocclusions. A hyperdivergent facial skeletal structure is a risk factor for increased CD, particularly in the vertical dimension. The condylar processes are usually displaced in a posteroinferior direction. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the relationship among remaining skeletal and dental malocclusions and the occurrence of CD.

Electrostatically Driven Vertical Combinatorial Patterning of Colloidal Nano-Objects

The hierarchically directed assembly of multiple types of colloidal nano-objects on surfaces is of interest for developing disruptive applications combining their original properties. We propose herein a versatile, electrostatically driven strategy to arrange various kinds of colloids vertically in the shape of 3D micropatterns by nanoxerography. We made the proof of concept of this vertical combinatorial nano-object patterning using two types of photoluminescent CdSe(S)/CdZnS core/shell nanoplatelets emitting in the red and green wavelengths as model colloidal nanoparticles. The key experimental parameters were investigated to tune the thickness of each independent level of nanoplatelets within the vertical stack. We finally applied such a concept to make dual-colored nanoplatelet patterns. Interestingly, we proved numerically that the relatively high index of the nanoplatelet level is responsible for the partially directed emissions observed in photoluminescence experiments.