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Sample records for intraspecies reconstructed early

  1. Ultrastructural changes in goat interspecies and intraspecies reconstructed early embryos

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tao, Yong; Gheng, Lizi; Zhang, Meiling

    2008-01-01

    and dispered gradually from the 4-cell period. The nucleolus of GC and GG embryos changed from electron dense to a fibrillo-granular meshwork at the 16-cell stage, showing that nucleus function in the reconstructed embryos was activated. The broken nuclear envelope and multiple nucleoli in one blastomere......- and intraspecies reconstructed embryos have a similar pattern of developmental change to that of in vivo-produced embryos for ZP, rough ER, Gi and nucleolus, but differ for mitochondria, LD, vesicles, nucleus and gap junction development. In particular, the interspecies cloned embryos showed more severe...

  2. Intraspecies Competition for Niches in the Distal Gut Dictate Transmission during Persistent Salmonella Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Lilian H.; Monack, Denise M.

    2014-01-01

    In order to be transmitted, a pathogen must first successfully colonize and multiply within a host. Ecological principles can be applied to study host-pathogen interactions to predict transmission dynamics. Little is known about the population biology of Salmonella during persistent infection. To define Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium population structure in this context, 129SvJ mice were oral gavaged with a mixture of eight wild-type isogenic tagged Salmonella (WITS) strains. Distinct subpopulations arose within intestinal and systemic tissues after 35 days, and clonal expansion of the cecal and colonic subpopulation was responsible for increases in Salmonella fecal shedding. A co-infection system utilizing differentially marked isogenic strains was developed in which each mouse received one strain orally and the other systemically by intraperitoneal (IP) injection. Co-infections demonstrated that the intestinal subpopulation exerted intraspecies priority effects by excluding systemic S. Typhimurium from colonizing an extracellular niche within the cecum and colon. Importantly, the systemic strain was excluded from these distal gut sites and was not transmitted to naïve hosts. In addition, S. Typhimurium required hydrogenase, an enzyme that mediates acquisition of hydrogen from the gut microbiota, during the first week of infection to exert priority effects in the gut. Thus, early inhibitory priority effects are facilitated by the acquisition of nutrients, which allow S. Typhimurium to successfully compete for a nutritional niche in the distal gut. We also show that intraspecies colonization resistance is maintained by Salmonella Pathogenicity Islands SPI1 and SPI2 during persistent distal gut infection. Thus, important virulence effectors not only modulate interactions with host cells, but are crucial for Salmonella colonization of an extracellular intestinal niche and thereby also shape intraspecies dynamics. We conclude that priority effects and

  3. Molecular Markers Useful for Intraspecies Subtyping and Strain Differentiation of Dermatophytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mochizuki, Takashi; Takeda, Kiminobu; Anzawa, Kazushi

    2017-02-01

    Dermatophytosis is a very common skin disorder and the most frequent infection encountered by practicing dermatologists. The identification, pathogenicity, biology, and epidemiology of dermatophytes, the causative agents of dermatophytosis, are of interest for both dermatologists and medical mycologists. Recent advances in molecular methods have provided new techniques for identifying dermatophytes, including intraspecies variations. Intraspecies subtyping and strain differentiation have made possible the tracking of infections, the identification of common sources of infections, recurrence or reinfection after treatment, and analysis of strain virulence and drug resistance. This review describes molecular methods of intraspecies subtyping and strain differentiation, including analyses of mitochondrial DNA and non-transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal RNA genes, random amplification of polymorphic DNA, and microsatellite markers, along with their advantages and limitations.

  4. Early anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction can save meniscus without any complications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang-Ik Hur

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: Early ACL reconstruction had excellent clinical results and stability as good as delayed reconstruction without the problem of knee motion, muscle power, and postural control. Moreover, early reconstruction showed the high possibility of meniscal repair. Therefore, early ACL reconstruction should be recommended.

  5. Function of donor cell centrosome in intraspecies and interspecies nuclear transfer embryos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong Zhisheng; Zhang Gang; Meng Xiaoqian; Zhang Yanling; Chen Dayuan; Schatten, Heide; Sun Qingyuan

    2005-01-01

    Centrosomes, the main microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) in most animal cells, are important for many cellular activities such as assembly of the mitotic spindle, establishment of cell polarity, and cell movement. In nuclear transfer (NT), MTOCs that are located at the poles of the meiotic spindle are removed from the recipient oocyte, while the centrosome of the donor cell is introduced. We used mouse MII oocytes as recipients, mouse fibroblasts, rat fibroblasts, or pig granulosa cells as donor cells to construct intraspecies and interspecies nuclear transfer embryos in order to observe centrosome dynamics and functions. Three antibodies against centrin, γ-tubulin, and NuMA, respectively, were used to stain the centrosome. Centrin was not detected either at the poles of transient spindles or at the poles of first mitotic spindles. γ-tubulin translocated into the two poles of the transient spindles, while no accumulated γ-tubulin aggregates were detected in the area adjacent to the two pseudo-pronuclei. At first mitotic metaphase, γ-tubulin was translocated to the spindle poles. The distribution of γ-tubulin was similar in mouse intraspecies and rat-mouse interspecies embryos. The NuMA antibody that we used can recognize porcine but not murine NuMA protein, so it was used to trace the NuMA protein of donor cell in reconstructed embryos. In the pig-mouse interspecies reconstructed embryos, NuMA concentrated between the disarrayed chromosomes soon after activation and translocated to the transient spindle poles. NuMA then immigrated into pseudo-pronuclei. After pseudo-pronuclear envelope breakdown, NuMA was located between the chromosomes and then translocated to the spindle poles of first mitotic metaphase. γ-tubulin antibody microinjection resulted in spindle disorganization and retardation of the first cell division. NuMA antibody microinjection also resulted in spindle disorganization. Our findings indicate that (1) the donor cell centrosome, defined as

  6. No economic benefit of early knee reconstruction over optional delayed reconstruction for ACL tears

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiadaliri, Aliasghar A; Englund, Martin; Stefan Lohmander, L.

    2016-01-01

    Background To analyse 5-year cost-effectiveness of early versus optional delayed acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Methods 121 young, active adults with acute ACL injury to a previously uninjured knee were randomised to early ACL reconstruction (n=62, within 10 weeks of injur...

  7. intra-species variation of the properties of gum exudates from Acacia

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    a

    The results show that significant inter-species variation of the properties of the gum exudates from the two species exist, whereas only some parameters show significant intra-species variation. The specific optical rotations of the gum exudates have been found to vary from ---43.2o to ---52o for Acacia senegal var. senegal ...

  8. Assessment of intra-species diversity among strains of Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manab Sarma, P.; Bhattacharya, D.; Krishnan, S.; Lal, B.

    2004-01-01

    Intra-species diversity among Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from crude oil-contaminated soils from different geographic regions in India was assessed, including their capability to degrade different fractions of total petroleum hydrocarbons. A total of 96 strains were isolated from five different sites. Of the 96 isolates, 25 strains were identified as Acinetobacter baumannii; all of these strains were biochemically profiled and grouped into eight phenovars on the basis of multivariate analysis of their substrate utilization profiles. All strains were able to degrade the total petroleum hydrocarbon fractions of crude oil. Intraspecies relatedness among the 25 strains was determined using tRNA intergenic spacer length polymorphism. Specific variants among the strains with different degradation capacities for different fractions of crude oil were detected. Environmental influences that cause intra-species diversity, such as functional resilience, within the selected strains of A. baumannii were also noted. It is suggested that such diversities may make it possible to select contaminant-specific strains for efficient biotechnological strategies in environmental remediation. 19 refs., 4 tabs., 3 figs

  9. Assessment of intra-species diversity among strains of Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manab Sarma, P.; Bhattacharya, D.; Krishnan, S. [TERI School of Advanced Studies, Center of Bioresources and Biotechnology, New Delhi (India); Lal, B. [TERI School of Advanced Studies, Microbial Biotechnology Division, New Delhi (India)

    2004-06-01

    Intra-species diversity among Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from crude oil-contaminated soils from different geographic regions in India was assessed, including their capability to degrade different fractions of total petroleum hydrocarbons. A total of 96 strains were isolated from five different sites. Of the 96 isolates, 25 strains were identified as Acinetobacter baumannii; all of these strains were biochemically profiled and grouped into eight phenovars on the basis of multivariate analysis of their substrate utilization profiles. All strains were able to degrade the total petroleum hydrocarbon fractions of crude oil. Intraspecies relatedness among the 25 strains was determined using tRNA intergenic spacer length polymorphism. Specific variants among the strains with different degradation capacities for different fractions of crude oil were detected. Environmental influences that cause intra-species diversity, such as functional resilience, within the selected strains of A. baumannii were also noted. It is suggested that such diversities may make it possible to select contaminant-specific strains for efficient biotechnological strategies in environmental remediation. 19 refs., 4 tabs., 3 figs.

  10. Bipolar fracture dislocation of clavicle: A report of osteosynthesis and early soft tissue reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renaldi Prasetia

    Full Text Available Introduction: Bipolar dislocation of the clavicle, also called bifocal or pan-articular dislocation or floating clavicle, is an uncommon traumatic injury. The injury of this case is also concomitant with distal third clavicle and coracoid fracture. This article aimed to report the experience of performing osteosynthesis and early soft tissue reconstruction on these injuries. Case report: We reported a case of bipolar clavicle fracture-dislocation in concomitant with coracoid fracture in a man, aged 32 years old, successfully treated 24 days after accident by fixation of both fractures and early simultaneous reconstruction of sternoclavicular- acromioclavicular-coracoclavicular joints. Discussion: These injuries are rare and capable of causing many complications if they are treated improperly. It is compulsory to carefully assess any fractured clavicle along its whole length, both clinically and radiologically. Various options, from non-operative to operative, have been reported to manage such of these cases. Early bony fixation and soft tissue reconstruction can correct the alignment of clavicle and recover the function of sterno-clavicular and acromio-clavicular- joints promptly. Conclusion: Fracture osteosynthesis and early soft tissue reconstruction can be regarded as an option treatment for bipolar fracture-dislocation of the clavicle to facilitate prompt treatment and early rehabilitation. Keywords: Bipolar dislocation, Floating clavicle, Early reconstruction, Soft tissue reconstruction

  11. Intraspecies genomic diversity and natural population structure of the meat-borne lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus sakei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaillou, Stéphane; Daty, Marie; Baraige, Fabienne; Dudez, Anne-Marie; Anglade, Patricia; Jones, Rhys; Alpert, Carl-Alfred; Champomier-Vergès, Marie-Christine; Zagorec, Monique

    2009-02-01

    Lactobacillus sakei is a food-borne bacterium naturally found in meat and fish products. A study was performed to examine the intraspecies diversity among 73 isolates sourced from laboratory collections in several different countries. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrated a 25% variation in genome size between isolates, ranging from 1,815 kb to 2,310 kb. The relatedness between isolates was then determined using a PCR-based method that detects the possession of 60 chromosomal genes belonging to the flexible gene pool. Ten different strain clusters were identified that had noticeable differences in their average genome size reflecting the natural population structure. The results show that many different genotypes may be isolated from similar types of meat products, suggesting a complex ecological habitat in which intraspecies diversity may be required for successful adaptation. Finally, proteomic analysis revealed a slight difference between the migration patterns of highly abundant GapA isoforms of the two prevailing L. sakei subspecies (sakei and carnosus). This analysis was used to affiliate the genotypic clusters with the corresponding subspecies. These findings reveal for the first time the extent of intraspecies genomic diversity in L. sakei. Consequently, identification of molecular subtypes may in the future prove valuable for a better understanding of microbial ecosystems in food products.

  12. Bipolar fracture dislocation of clavicle: A report of osteosynthesis and early soft tissue reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasetia, Renaldi; Rasyid, Hermawan Nagar

    2017-01-01

    Bipolar dislocation of the clavicle, also called bifocal or pan-articular dislocation or floating clavicle, is an uncommon traumatic injury. The injury of this case is also concomitant with distal third clavicle and coracoid fracture. This article aimed to report the experience of performing osteosynthesis and early soft tissue reconstruction on these injuries. We reported a case of bipolar clavicle fracture-dislocation in concomitant with coracoid fracture in a man, aged 32 years old, successfully treated 24days after accident by fixation of both fractures and early simultaneous reconstruction of sternoclavicular- acromioclavicular-coracoclavicular joints. These injuries are rare and capable of causing many complications if they are treated improperly. It is compulsory to carefully assess any fractured clavicle along its whole length, both clinically and radiologically. Various options, from non-operative to operative, have been reported to manage such of these cases. Early bony fixation and soft tissue reconstruction can correct the alignment of clavicle and recover the function of sterno-clavicular and acromio-clavicular- joints promptly. Fracture osteosynthesis and early soft tissue reconstruction can be regarded as an option treatment for bipolar fracture-dislocation of the clavicle to facilitate prompt treatment and early rehabilitation. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Early and late complications in the reconstructed mandible with free fibula flaps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Gemert, Johannes T M; Abbink, Jan H; van Es, Robert J J; Rosenberg, Antoine J W P; Koole, Ron; Van Cann, Ellen M

    2018-03-01

    Evaluation of mandibular reconstructions with free fibula flaps. Identification of factors associated with major recipient site complications, that is, necessitating surgical intervention under general anaesthesia. Seventy-nine reconstructions were included. The following factors were analyzed: fixation type, number of osteotomies, site of defect (bilateral/unilateral), surgeon, sex, ASA classification, continuous smoking, pathological N-stage, age, defect size, flap ischemic time, and postoperative radiotherapy. Proportional hazards regression was used to test the effect on the time between reconstruction and intervention. Sixty-nine (87%) of the 79 fibula flaps were successful at the last follow-up. Forty-eight major recipient site complications occurred in 41 reconstructions. Nineteen complications required surgical intervention within six weeks and were mostly vascular problems, necessitating immediate intervention. These early complications were associated with defects crossing the midline, with an estimated relative risk of 5.3 (CI 1.1-20, P = 0.01). Twenty-nine complications required surgical intervention more than 6 weeks after the reconstruction. These late complications generally occurred after months or years, and were associated with smoking, with an estimated relative risk of 2.8 (CI 1.0-8.3, P = 0.05). Fibula flaps crossing the midline have a higher risk of early major recipient site complications than unilateral reconstructions. Smoking increases the risk of late complications. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Surgical Oncology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Early Reconstruction of Orbital Roof Fractures: Clinical Features and Treatment Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Woo Kim

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundOrbital roof fractures are frequently associated with a high energy impact to the craniofacial region, and displaced orbital roof fractures can cause ophthalmic and neurologic complications and occasionally require open surgical intervention. The purpose of this article was to investigate the clinical features and treatment outcomes of orbital root fractures combined with neurologic injuries after early reconstruction.MethodsBetween January 2006 and December 2008, 45 patients with orbital roof fractures were admitted; among them, 37 patients were treated conservatively and 8 patients underwent early surgical intervention for orbital roof fractures. The type of injuries that caused the fractures, patient characteristics, associated fractures, ocular and neurological injuries, patient management, and treatment outcomes were investigated.ResultsThe patients underwent frontal craniotomy and free bone fragment removal, their orbital roofs were reconstructed with titanium micromesh, and associated fractures were repaired. The mean follow up period was 11 months. There were no postoperative neurologic sequelae. Postoperative computed tomography scans showed anatomically reconstructed orbital roofs. Two of the five patients with traumatic optic neuropathy achieved full visual acuity recovery, one patient showed decreased visual acuity, and the other two patients completely lost their vision due to traumatic optic neuropathy. Preoperative ophthalmic symptoms, such as proptosis, diplopia, upper eyelid ptosis, and enophthalmos were corrected.ConclusionsEarly recognition and treatment of orbital roof fractures can reduce intracranial and ocular complications. A coronal flap with frontal craniotomy and orbital roof reconstruction using titanium mesh provides a versatile method and provides good functional and cosmetic results.

  15. Clavicular bone tunnel malposition leads to early failures in coracoclavicular ligament reconstructions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Jay B; Shaha, James S; Rowles, Douglas J; Bottoni, Craig R; Shaha, Steven H; Tokish, John M

    2013-01-01

    Modern techniques for the treatment of acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocations have largely centered on free tendon graft reconstructions. Recent biomechanical studies have demonstrated that an anatomic reconstruction with 2 clavicular bone tunnels more closely matches the properties of native coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments than more traditional techniques. No study has analyzed tunnel position in regard to risk of early failure. To evaluate the effect of clavicular tunnel position in CC ligament reconstruction as a risk of early failure. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A retrospective review was performed of a consecutive series of CC ligament reconstructions performed with 2 clavicular bone tunnels and a free tendon graft. The population was largely a young, active-duty military group of patients. Radiographs were analyzed for the maintenance of reduction and location of clavicular bone tunnels using a picture archiving and communication system. The distance from the lateral border of the clavicle to the center of each bone tunnel was divided by the total clavicular length to establish a ratio. Medical records were reviewed for operative details and functional outcome. Failure was defined as loss of intraoperative reduction. The overall failure rate was 28.6% (8/28) at an average of 7.4 weeks postoperatively. Comparison of bone tunnel position showed that medialized bone tunnels were a significant predictor for early loss of reduction for the conoid (a ratio of 0.292 vs 0.248; P = .012) and trapezoid bone tunnels (a ratio of 0.171 vs 0.128; P = .004); this correlated to an average of 7 to 9 mm more medial in the reconstructions that failed. Reconstructions performed with a conoid ratio of ≥0.30 were significantly more likely to fail (5/5, 100%) than were those performed lateral to a ratio of 0.30 (3/23, 13.0%) (P < .01). There were no failures when the conoid ratio was <0.25 (0/10, 0%). Conoid tunnel placement was also statistically significant for

  16. Hybrid light transport model based bioluminescence tomography reconstruction for early gastric cancer detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xueli; Liang, Jimin; Hu, Hao; Qu, Xiaochao; Yang, Defu; Chen, Duofang; Zhu, Shouping; Tian, Jie

    2012-03-01

    Gastric cancer is the second cause of cancer-related death in the world, and it remains difficult to cure because it has been in late-stage once that is found. Early gastric cancer detection becomes an effective approach to decrease the gastric cancer mortality. Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) has been applied to detect early liver cancer and prostate cancer metastasis. However, the gastric cancer commonly originates from the gastric mucosa and grows outwards. The bioluminescent light will pass through a non-scattering region constructed by gastric pouch when it transports in tissues. Thus, the current BLT reconstruction algorithms based on the approximation model of radiative transfer equation are not optimal to handle this problem. To address the gastric cancer specific problem, this paper presents a novel reconstruction algorithm that uses a hybrid light transport model to describe the bioluminescent light propagation in tissues. The radiosity theory integrated with the diffusion equation to form the hybrid light transport model is utilized to describe light propagation in the non-scattering region. After the finite element discretization, the hybrid light transport model is converted into a minimization problem which fuses an l1 norm based regularization term to reveal the sparsity of bioluminescent source distribution. The performance of the reconstruction algorithm is first demonstrated with a digital mouse based simulation with the reconstruction error less than 1mm. An in situ gastric cancer-bearing nude mouse based experiment is then conducted. The primary result reveals the ability of the novel BLT reconstruction algorithm in early gastric cancer detection.

  17. Reconstructing the early 19th-century Waal River by means of a 2D physics-based numerical model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Montes Arboleda, A.; Crosato, A.; Middelkoop, H.

    2010-01-01

    Suspended-sediment concentration data are a missing link in reconstructions of the River Waal in the early 1800s. These reconstructions serve as a basis for assessing the long-term effects of major interventions carried out between 1850 AD and the early 20th century. We used a 2D physics-based

  18. Virtual reconstruction of modern and fossil hominoid crania: consequences of reference sample choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senck, Sascha; Bookstein, Fred L; Benazzi, Stefano; Kastner, Johann; Weber, Gerhard W

    2015-05-01

    Most hominin cranial fossils are incomplete and require reconstruction prior to subsequent analyses. Missing data can be estimated by geometric morphometrics using information from complete specimens, for example, by using thin-plate splines. In this study, we estimate missing data in several virtually fragmented models of hominoid crania (Homo, Pan, Pongo) and fossil hominins (e.g., Australopithecus africanus, Homo heidelbergensis). The aim is to investigate in which way different references influence estimations of cranial shape and how this information can be employed in the reconstruction of fossils. We used a sample of 64 three-dimensional digital models of complete human, chimpanzee, and orangutan crania and a set of 758 landmarks and semilandmarks. The virtually knocked out neurocranial and facial areas that were reconstructed corresponded to those of a real case found in A.L. 444-2 (A. afarensis) cranium. Accuracy of multiple intraspecies and interspecies reconstructions was computed as the maximum square root of the mean squared difference between the original and the reconstruction (root mean square). The results show that the uncertainty in reconstructions is a function of both the geometry of the knockout area and the dissimilarity between the reference sample and the specimen(s) undergoing reconstruction. We suggest that it is possible to estimate large missing cranial areas if the shape of the reference is similar enough to the shape of the specimen reconstructed, though caution must be exercised when employing these reconstructions in subsequent analyses. We provide a potential guide for the choice of the reference by means of bending energy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Beyond 16S rRNA Community Profiling: Intra-Species Diversity in the Gut Microbiota

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellegaard, Kirsten M.; Engel, Philipp

    2016-01-01

    Interactions with microbes affect many aspects of animal biology, including immune system development, nutrition and health. In vertebrates, the gut microbiota is dominated by a small subset of phyla, but the species composition within these phyla is typically not conserved. Moreover, several recent studies have shown that bacterial species in the gut are composed of a multitude of strains, which frequently co-exist in their host, and may be host-specific. However, since the study of intra-species diversity is challenging, particularly in the setting of complex, host-associated microbial communities, our current understanding of the distribution, evolution and functional relevance of intra-species diversity in the gut is scarce. In order to unravel how genomic diversity translates into phenotypic diversity, community analyses going beyond 16S rRNA profiling, in combination with experimental approaches, are needed. Recently, the honeybee has emerged as a promising model for studying gut bacterial communities, particularly in terms of strain-level diversity. Unlike most other invertebrates, the honeybee gut is colonized by a remarkably consistent and specific core microbiota, which is dominated by only eight bacterial species. As for the vertebrate gut microbiota, these species are composed of highly diverse strains suggesting that similar evolutionary forces shape gut community structures in vertebrates and social insects. In this review, we outline current knowledge on the evolution and functional relevance of strain diversity within the gut microbiota, including recent insights gained from mammals and other animals such as the honeybee. We discuss methodological approaches and propose possible future avenues for studying strain diversity in complex bacterial communities. PMID:27708630

  20. Interspecies and intraspecies transmission of triple reassortant H3N2 influenza A viruses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee Chang-Won

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available 1. Abstract The triple reassortant H3N2 viruses were isolated for the first time from pigs in 1998 and are known to be endemic in swine and turkey populations in the United States. In 2004, we isolated two H3N2 triple reassortant viruses from two turkey breeder flocks in Ohio and Illinois. Infected hens showed no clinical signs, but experienced a complete cessation of egg production. In this study, we evaluated three triple reassortant H3N2 isolates of turkey origin and one isolate of swine origin for their transmission between swine and turkeys. Although all 4 viruses tested share high genetic similarity in all 8 genes, only the Ohio strain (A/turkey/Ohio/313053/04 was shown to transmit efficiently both ways between swine and turkeys. One isolate, A/turkey/North Carolina/03, was able to transmit from pigs to turkeys but not vice versa. Neither of the other two viruses transmitted either way. Sequence analysis of the HA1 gene of the Ohio strain showed one amino acid change (D to A at residue 190 of the receptor binding domain upon transmission from turkeys to pigs. The Ohio virus was then tested for intraspecies transmission in three different avian species. The virus was shown to replicate and transmit among turkeys, replicate but does not transmit among chickens, and did not replicate in ducks. Identifying viruses with varying inter- and intra-species transmission potential should be useful for further studies on the molecular basis of interspecies transmission.

  1. Interspecies and intraspecies transmission of triple reassortant H3N2 influenza A viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yassine, Hadi M; Al-Natour, Mohammad Q; Lee, Chang-Won; Saif, Yehya M

    2007-11-28

    The triple reassortant H3N2 viruses were isolated for the first time from pigs in 1998 and are known to be endemic in swine and turkey populations in the United States. In 2004, we isolated two H3N2 triple reassortant viruses from two turkey breeder flocks in Ohio and Illinois. Infected hens showed no clinical signs, but experienced a complete cessation of egg production. In this study, we evaluated three triple reassortant H3N2 isolates of turkey origin and one isolate of swine origin for their transmission between swine and turkeys. Although all 4 viruses tested share high genetic similarity in all 8 genes, only the Ohio strain (A/turkey/Ohio/313053/04) was shown to transmit efficiently both ways between swine and turkeys. One isolate, A/turkey/North Carolina/03, was able to transmit from pigs to turkeys but not vice versa. Neither of the other two viruses transmitted either way. Sequence analysis of the HA1 gene of the Ohio strain showed one amino acid change (D to A) at residue 190 of the receptor binding domain upon transmission from turkeys to pigs. The Ohio virus was then tested for intraspecies transmission in three different avian species. The virus was shown to replicate and transmit among turkeys, replicate but does not transmit among chickens, and did not replicate in ducks. Identifying viruses with varying inter- and intra-species transmission potential should be useful for further studies on the molecular basis of interspecies transmission.

  2. Early Results of Anatomic Double Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

    OpenAIRE

    Demet Pepele

    2014-01-01

    Aim: The goal in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is to restore the normal anatomic structure and function of the knee. In the significant proportion of patients after the traditional single-bundle ACLR, complaints of instability still continue. Anatomic double bundle ACLR may provide normal kinematics in knees, much closer to the natural anatomy. The aim of this study is to clinically assess the early outcomes of our anatomical double bundle ACLR. Material and Method: In our ...

  3. Intra-species sequence comparisons for annotating genomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boffelli, Dario; Weer, Claire V.; Weng, Li; Lewis, Keith D.; Shoukry, Malak I.; Pachter, Lior; Keys, David N.; Rubin, Edward M.

    2004-07-15

    Analysis of sequence variation among members of a single species offers a potential approach to identify functional DNA elements responsible for biological features unique to that species. Due to its high rate of allelic polymorphism and ease of genetic manipulability, we chose the sea squirt, Ciona intestinalis, to explore intra-species sequence comparisons for genome annotation. A large number of C. intestinalis specimens were collected from four continents and a set of genomic intervals amplified, resequenced and analyzed to determine the mutation rates at each nucleotide in the sequence. We found that regions with low mutation rates efficiently demarcated functionally constrained sequences: these include a set of noncoding elements, which we showed in C intestinalis transgenic assays to act as tissue-specific enhancers, as well as the location of coding sequences. This illustrates that comparisons of multiple members of a species can be used for genome annotation, suggesting a path for the annotation of the sequenced genomes of organisms occupying uncharacterized phylogenetic branches of the animal kingdom and raises the possibility that the resequencing of a large number of Homo sapiens individuals might be used to annotate the human genome and identify sequences defining traits unique to our species. The sequence data from this study has been submitted to GenBank under accession nos. AY667278-AY667407.

  4. Reconstructing Early Pleistocene (1.3 Ma) terrestrial environmental change in western Anatolia: Did it drive fluvial terrace formation?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veldkamp, A.; Candy, I.; Jongmans, A.G.; Maddy, D.; Demir, T.; Schoorl, J.M.; Schreve, D.; Stemerdink, C.; Schriek, van der T.

    2015-01-01

    A terrestrial environmental reconstruction of an Early Pleistocene landscape from western Anatolia is presented. The basis of this reconstruction is a sedimentary stack comprising fluvial and colluvial slope deposits. Contained within this stack is a sequence comprising two massive laminar calcretes

  5. Climatic implications of reconstructed early - Mid Pliocene equilibrium-line altitudes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krusic, A.G.; Prentice, M.L.; Licciardi, J.M.

    2009-01-01

    Early-mid Pliocene moraines in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, are more extensive than the present alpine glaciers in this region, indicating substantial climatic differences between the early-mid Pliocene and the present. To quantify this difference in the glacier-climate regime, we estimated the equilibrium-line altitude (ELA) change since the early-mid Pliocene by calculating the modern ELA and reconstructing the ELAs of four alpine glaciers in Wright and Taylor Valleys at their early-mid Pliocene maxima. The area-altitude balance ratio method was used on modern and reconstructed early-mid Pliocene hypsometry. In Wright and Victoria Valleys, mass-balance data identify present-day ELAs of 800-1600 m a.s.l. and an average balance ratio of 1.1. The estimated ELAs of the much larger early-mid Pliocene glaciers in Wright and Taylor Valleys range from 600 to 950 ?? 170 m a.s.l., and thus are 250-600 ??170 m lower than modern ELAs in these valleys. The depressed ELAs during the early-mid-Pliocene most likely indicate a wetter and therefore warmer climate in the Dry Valleys during this period than previous studies have recognized.

  6. Phylogenetic reconstruction at the species and intraspecies levels in the genus Pisum (L.) (peas) using a histone H1 gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaytseva, Olga O; Bogdanova, Vera S; Kosterin, Oleg E

    2012-08-10

    A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Pisum (peas), embracing diverse wild and cultivated forms, which evoke problems with species delimitation, was carried out based on a gene coding for histone H1, a protein that has a long and variable functional C-terminal domain. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed on the basis of the coding sequence of the gene His5 of H1 subtype 5 in 65 pea accessions. Early separation of a clear-cut wild species Pisum fulvum is well supported, while cultivated species Pisum abyssinicum appears as a small branch within Pisum sativum. Another robust branch within P. sativum includes some wild and almost all cultivated representatives of P. sativum. Other wild representatives form diverse but rather subtle branches. In a subset of accessions, PsbA-trnH chloroplast intergenic spacer was also analysed and found less informative than His5. A number of accessions of cultivated peas from remote regions have a His5 allele of identical sequence, encoding an electrophoretically slow protein product, which earlier attracted attention as likely positively selected in harsh climate conditions. In PsbA-trnH, a 8bp deletion was found, which marks cultivated representatives of P. sativum. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Soft tissue injuries of the face: early aesthetic reconstruction in polytrauma patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aveta, Achille; Casati, Paolo

    2008-01-01

    Facial injuries are often accompanied by soft tissue injuries. The complexity of these injuries is represented by the potential for loss of relationships between the functional and the aesthetic subunits of the head. Most reviews of craniofacial trauma have concentrated on fractures. With this article, we want to emphasize the importance of early aesthetic reconstruction of the face in polytrauma patients. We present 13 patients with soft tissue injuries of the face, treated in our emergency department in the 'day one surgery", without "second look"procedures. The final result always restored a sense of normalcy to the face. The face is the first most visible part of the human anatomy, so, in emergency, surgeons must pay special attention also to the reconstruction of the face, in polytrauma patients.

  8. RAPD markers and black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold intraspecies taxonomy - Evidence from the study of nine populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zlatko Liber

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Although intraspecies researches within the black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold have a long tradition, the intraspecies taxonomy, classification and chorology are still unclear. Among the numerous reasons that have caused this situation the most important are: the absence of a study that would completely cover the whole range of this species, the impossibility of connection of results of the existing detailed studies of certain areas, and the high variability of traits which have been used so far. Since the characteristics of the molecular systematic techniques could make possible the research free of the mentioned shortages, the intention of this study was to determine the relationships among nine populations of black pine using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD. The obtained results were compared to the recent results of the morphological and anatomical analysis of the leaves of the same populations. The RAPD results clearly divided the Croatian populations from populations of Austria (subsp. nigra and Turkey (subsp. pallasiana, while among Croatian populations, as in previous study, the existence of several groups (subsp. illyrica, subsp. dalmatica and transitional population between them was noticed. It is assumed that the optimisations conducted in this study will finally make possible estimating the relationships on the level of the whole range of the black pine and the classification based on molecular traits that are probably less dependent on environmental influences than it has been the case with the characteristics mostly used so far.

  9. Early initiation of alcohol consumption by adolescents in reconstructed families may be explained by parenting style

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    Iakunchykova, Olena

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND. Literature about risk factors of alcohol use points at the association between alcohol use and parenting style. This study investigates the relationship between family structure of adolescents in Ukraine and their initiation of alcohol use with parenting style as a mediating variable.METHODS: Pooled data from the repeated cross-sectional nationally representative survey of classes in Ukrainian secondary schools with target group of all 15-16 year old students, held in 1999, 2003, and 2007, were used for this analysis. Complete data were available for 11019 participants. Main exposures were family structure (full, single parent and reconstructed and perceptions of the relationships with mother and father, rule-setting, control, and support provided by parents. Outcome measure was age when students started consuming alcohol.RESULTS: In bivariate analysis, children in reconstructed families had higher risk for initiating alcohol use at age of 13 or younger (odds ratio 1.37, confidence interval 1,15-1,63 compared to full families. In reconstructed families, adolescents were more likely to be dissatisfied with their relationships with mother compared to intact family structure (8.7% vs. 4.7% and dissatisfied with their relationships with father compared to intact family structure (19,8% vs. 9,1%. Parental support was lacking in higher proportion of reconstructed families, compared to intact family structure (20.7% vs. 15.1%. In the multivariate analysis, controlling for relationship with mother and father, support received from parents, and socio-demographic characteristics, the association between family structure and alcohol drinking initiation was attenuated.CONCLUSIONS: Children in reconstructed families have higher risk of early drinking initiation. This study also supports the hypothesis that dissatisfaction with relationships with parents and lack of support received from parents may mediate the association between family structure

  10. Education in Emergencies and Early Reconstruction: UNICEF Interventions in Colombia, Liberia, and Southern Sudan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beleli, Ozsel; Chang, Victoria; Feigelson, Michael J.; Kopel-Bailey, Jules A.; Maak, Sheila A.; Mnookin, Jacob P.; Nguyen, Thu H.; Salazar, Mariana; Sinderbrand, Joy E.; Tafoya, Simon N.

    2007-01-01

    Broad access to quality, child-friendly education in emergencies is a critical component of early reconstruction and development. As a class of graduate students at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, our goal is to make a modest contribution to the field of education in emergencies by working…

  11. Skin Sparing Mastectomy and Immediate Breast Reconstruction (SSMIR for early breast cancer: Eight years single institution experience

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    Bobin Jean

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Skin Sparing Mastectomy (SSM and immediate breast reconstruction has become increasingly popular as an effective treatment for patients with breast carcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of skin sparing mastectomy in early breast cancer at a single population-based institution. Methods Records of ninety-five consecutive patients with operable breast cancer who had skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstructions between 1995 and 2003 were reviewed. Patient and tumor characteristic, type of reconstruction, postoperative complications, aesthetic results and incidence of recurrence were analyzed. Results Mean age of the patients was 51.6(range 33–72 years. The AJCC pathologic stages were 0 (n = 51, 53.7%, I (n = 20, 21.1%, and II (n = 2, 2.1%. Twenty of the patients had recurrent disease (21.1%. The immediate breast reconstructions were performed with autologus tissue including latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap in 63 (66.3% patients and transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM flap in 4 (4.2% patients. Implants were used in 28 (29.4% patients. The average hospital stay was 7.7 days. Flap complication occurred in seven (10.4% patients resulting in four (6% re-operations and there were no delay in accomplishing postoperative adjuvant therapy. At a median follow-up of 69 months (range 48 to 144, local recurrence was seen in one patient (1.1% and systemic recurrence was seen in two patients (2.1%. Conclusion Skin sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction for early breast cancer is associated with low morbidity and low rate of local recurrence.

  12. Intraspecies comparative genomics of three strains of Orientia tsutsugamushi with different antibiotic sensitivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Hsiao-Mei; Chao, Chien-Chung; Lei, Haiyan; Li, Bingjie; Tsai, Shien; Hung, Guo-Chiuan; Ching, Wei-Mei; Lo, Shyh-Ching

    2017-06-01

    We recently reported the genome of Orientia tsutsugamushi (OT) strain Karp (GenBank Accession #: NZ_LYMA00000000.2, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/NZ_LYMA00000000.2) with > 2 Mb in size through clone-based sequencing and high throughput genomic shotgun sequencing (HTS). The genomes of OT strains AFSC4 and AFSC7 were similarly sequenced by HTS Since strains AFSC4 (GenBank Accession #: NZ_LYMT00000000.1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/1035784408) and AFSC7 (GenBank Accession #: NZ_LYMB00000000.1, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/1035854767) were more resistant to antibiotics than strain Karp, we conducted comparative analysis of the three draft genomes annotated by RAST server aimed to identify possible genetic bases of difference in microbial antibiotic sensitivity. Intraspecies comparative genomics analysis of the three OT strains revealed that two ORFs encoding hypothetical proteins in both strains AFSC4 and AFSC7 are absent in strain Karp.

  13. The Economics of Prepectoral Breast Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glasberg, Scot Bradley

    2017-12-01

    The world of breast reconstruction over the last several years has seen a dramatic shift in focus to discussion and the application of placing tissue expanders and implants back into the prepectoral space. Although this technique failed during the early advent of breast reconstruction, newer technologies such as advances in fat grafting, improved acellular dermal matrices, better methods of assessing breast flap viability, and enhanced implants appear to have set the stage for the resurgence and positive early results seen with this technique. The main benefits of a switch to prepectoral breast reconstruction clinically appears to be less associated pain, lower incidence of animation deformities, and its associated symptoms as well as presumably better aesthetics. Early data suggest that the results are extremely promising and early adopters have attempted to define the ideal patients for prepectoral breast reconstruction. As with any new operative procedure, an assessment of finances and costs are crucial to its successful implementation. Although current data are minimal, this article attempts to build the fundamentals of an economic model that exhibits and displays potential savings through the use of prepectoral breast reconstruction.

  14. Evidence-Based ACL Reconstruction

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    E. Carlos RODRIGUEZ-MERCHAN

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available There is controversy in the literature regarding a number of topics related to anterior cruciate ligament (ACLreconstruction. The purpose of this article is to answer the following questions: 1 Bone patellar tendon bone (BPTB reconstruction or hamstring reconstruction (HR; 2 Double bundle or single bundle; 3 Allograft or authograft; 4 Early or late reconstruction; 5 Rate of return to sports after ACL reconstruction; 6 Rate of osteoarthritis after ACL reconstruction. A Cochrane Library and PubMed (MEDLINE search of systematic reviews and meta-analysis related to ACL reconstruction was performed. The key words were: ACL reconstruction, systematic reviews and meta-analysis. The main criteria for selection were that the articles were systematic reviews and meta-analysesfocused on the aforementioned questions. Sixty-nine articles were found, but only 26 were selected and reviewed because they had a high grade (I-II of evidence. BPTB-R was associated with better postoperative knee stability but with a higher rate of morbidity. However, the results of both procedures in terms of functional outcome in the long-term were similar. The double-bundle ACL reconstruction technique showed better outcomes in rotational laxity, although functional recovery was similar between single-bundle and double-bundle. Autograft yielded better results than allograft. There was no difference between early and delayed reconstruction. 82% of patients were able to return to some kind of sport participation. 28% of patients presented radiological signs of osteoarthritis with a follow-up of minimum 10 years.

  15. Genetic and phenotypic intra-species variation in Candida albicans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirakawa, Matthew P; Martinez, Diego A; Sakthikumar, Sharadha; Anderson, Matthew Z; Berlin, Aaron; Gujja, Sharvari; Zeng, Qiandong; Zisson, Ethan; Wang, Joshua M; Greenberg, Joshua M; Berman, Judith; Bennett, Richard J; Cuomo, Christina A

    2015-03-01

    Candida albicans is a commensal fungus of the human gastrointestinal tract and a prevalent opportunistic pathogen. To examine diversity within this species, extensive genomic and phenotypic analyses were performed on 21 clinical C. albicans isolates. Genomic variation was evident in the form of polymorphisms, copy number variations, chromosomal inversions, subtelomeric hypervariation, loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and whole or partial chromosome aneuploidies. All 21 strains were diploid, although karyotypic changes were present in eight of the 21 isolates, with multiple strains being trisomic for Chromosome 4 or Chromosome 7. Aneuploid strains exhibited a general fitness defect relative to euploid strains when grown under replete conditions. All strains were also heterozygous, yet multiple, distinct LOH tracts were present in each isolate. Higher overall levels of genome heterozygosity correlated with faster growth rates, consistent with increased overall fitness. Genes with the highest rates of amino acid substitutions included many cell wall proteins, implicating fast evolving changes in cell adhesion and host interactions. One clinical isolate, P94015, presented several striking properties including a novel cellular phenotype, an inability to filament, drug resistance, and decreased virulence. Several of these properties were shown to be due to a homozygous nonsense mutation in the EFG1 gene. Furthermore, loss of EFG1 function resulted in increased fitness of P94015 in a commensal model of infection. Our analysis therefore reveals intra-species genetic and phenotypic differences in C. albicans and delineates a natural mutation that alters the balance between commensalism and pathogenicity. © 2015 Hirakawa et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  16. Update on orbital reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chien-Tzung; Chen, Yu-Ray

    2010-08-01

    Orbital trauma is common and frequently complicated by ocular injuries. The recent literature on orbital fracture is analyzed with emphasis on epidemiological data assessment, surgical timing, method of approach and reconstruction materials. Computed tomographic (CT) scan has become a routine evaluation tool for orbital trauma, and mobile CT can be applied intraoperatively if necessary. Concomitant serious ocular injury should be carefully evaluated preoperatively. Patients presenting with nonresolving oculocardiac reflex, 'white-eyed' blowout fracture, or diplopia with a positive forced duction test and CT evidence of orbital tissue entrapment require early surgical repair. Otherwise, enophthalmos can be corrected by late surgery with a similar outcome to early surgery. The use of an endoscope-assisted approach for orbital reconstruction continues to grow, offering an alternative method. Advances in alloplastic materials have improved surgical outcome and shortened operating time. In this review of modern orbital reconstruction, several controversial issues such as surgical indication, surgical timing, method of approach and choice of reconstruction material are discussed. Preoperative fine-cut CT image and thorough ophthalmologic examination are key elements to determine surgical indications. The choice of surgical approach and reconstruction materials much depends on the surgeon's experience and the reconstruction area. Prefabricated alloplastic implants together with image software and stereolithographic models are significant advances that help to more accurately reconstruct the traumatized orbit. The recent evolution of orbit reconstruction improves functional and aesthetic results and minimizes surgical complications.

  17. Reconstruction of early Holocene paleoclimate and environment in the SW Kola region, Russian Arctic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grekov, Ivan; Kolka, Vasiliy; Syrykh, Liudmila; Nazarova, Larisa

    2016-04-01

    In the current period of the global climate change it becomes necessary to have a clear understanding of not only the changes taking place in the components of the natural environment, but also to understand development of all interactions between those components. Quaternary terrigenic sediments and lakes of the Kola Peninsula store information about the development of the region in the Late Glacial and Holocene: movements of the glacier, neotectonic activity, post-glacial rebound, formation and development of natural environments after deglaciation. Multi-proxy study of landscapes evolution of the Kola Peninsula in the Late Quaternary will help to establish a detailed reconstruction of climatic and environmental changes of this poor studied sector of the Arctic. Quaternary history on the Kola Peninsula is represented mainly by Late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments covering the Baltic Shield (Lavrova, 1960; Evzerov, 2015). Several palaeolimnological investigations in the Baltic Shield area have been performed earlier (Donner et al., 1977; Anundsen, 1985; Berglund, 2004). Studies of the southern coast of the Kola Peninsula have shown that marine transgression took place in the Late Pleistocene that was then replaced by a regression with variable speed. The slowdown of the uplift of the area took place between 8800 - 6800 BP (cal. years) and corresponded to the time of the Tapes transgression of the Arctic Ocean (Evzerov et al. 2010; Kolka, et al., 2013). Palaeoclimatic studies based on micro-paleontological analyzes indicate uneven development of the Kola Peninsula landscapes in the Late Glacial and Early Holocene. The northern coast of the Peninsula became free of ice first. In this area tundra-steppe vegetation was established for a short time and was later replaced by tundra (Snyder et al, 2000). Southern part of the Kola Peninsula was dependent on the conditions of deglaciation of the White Sea basin and cleared of ice much later (Evzerov et al., 2010; Kolka

  18. Intraspecies cellular fatty acids heterogeneity of Lactobacillus plantarum strains isolated from fermented foods in Ukraine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garmasheva, I; Vasyliuk, O; Kovalenko, N; Ostapchuk, A; Oleschenko, L

    2015-09-01

    The intraspecies heterogeneity of cellular fatty acids composition of Lactobacillus plantarum strains isolated from Ukrainian traditional fermented foods was examined. Seven cellular fatty acids were identified. All Lact. plantarum strains investigated contained C16:0 (from 7·54 to 49·83% of total fatty acids), cC18:1 (3·23-38·67% of total fatty acids) and cycC19:0 acids (9·03-67·68% of total fatty acids) as the major fatty acids. The tC18:1 acid made up 1·47-22·0% of the total fatty acids. The C14:0 and C16:1 acids were present in small amounts (0·22-6·96% and 0·66-7·42% respectively) in most Lact. plantarum strains. Differences in relative contents of some fatty acids between Lact. plantarum strains depending on the source isolation were found. Isolates of dairy origin contained slightly greater levels of the C16:0 and tC18:1 fatty acids and lower levels of the cC18:1 than strains obtained from fermented vegetables. The origin of Lact. plantarum strains affects their fatty acids composition, which in turn, appears to be related to their ability to growth under stress factors. Cellular fatty acids composition is an important chemotaxonomic characteristic of bacterial cells. At the same time cellular fatty acids play a key role in maintaining the viability of micro-organisms in different environmental conditions. In this study, intraspecies heterogeneity of cellular fatty acids composition of Lactobacillus plantarum strains was examined. This work provides novel and important information about a relationship between cellular fatty acids composition of Lact. plantarum strains and source of isolation or stress resistance profile. Our results showed that cellular fatty acids composition is quite diverse among Lact. plantarum strains derived from different sources and may reflect previous cell's history. Our findings should be considered in chemotaxonomic studies of lactic acid bacteria and its ecology. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  19. Early Results of Anatomic Double Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

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    Demet Pepele

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The goal in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR is to restore the normal anatomic structure and function of the knee. In the significant proportion of patients after the traditional single-bundle ACLR, complaints of instability still continue. Anatomic double bundle ACLR may provide normal kinematics in knees, much closer to the natural anatomy. The aim of this study is to clinically assess the early outcomes of our anatomical double bundle ACLR. Material and Method: In our clinic between June 2009 and March 2010, performed the anatomic double bundle ACLR with autogenous hamstring grafts 20 patients were evaluated prospectively with Cincinnati, IKDC and Lysholm scores and in clinically for muscle strength and with Cybex II dynamometer. Results: The mean follow-up is 17.8 months (13-21 months. Patients%u2019 scores of Cincinnati, IKDC and Lysholm were respectively, preoperative 18.1, 39.3 and 39.8, while the post-op increased to 27.2, 76.3 and 86.3. In their last check, 17 percent of the patients according to IKDC scores (85% A (excellent and B (good group and 3 patients took place as C (adequate group. The power measurements of quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups of patients who underwent surgery showed no significant difference compared with the intact knees. Discussion: Double-bundle ACL reconstruction is a satisfactory method. There is a need comparative, long-term studies in large numbers in order to determine improving clinical outcome, preventing degeneration and restoring the knee biomechanics better.

  20. A Comparison of the Incidence of Early Postoperative Infections between Patients Using Synthetic Mesh and Those Undergoing Traditional Pelvic Reconstructive Surgical Procedures

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    Jaromír Mašata

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available New mesh-related complications such as erosion, etc., can result from abnormal postoperative healing due to surgical site infection. The aim of our study was to compare systemic inflammatory responses and the incidence of early infectious complications after reconstructive surgery using synthetic mesh and after traditional vaginal wall repair. In this prospective observational study 99 women with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse were included; 55 women underwent traditional repair and 44 repair using mesh. After the procedure infectious complications were monitored. The patients who underwent reconstructive surgery using mesh material were more likely to have febrile morbidity in the postoperative period than the patients who had been treated with traditional repair (p=0.031; there was a higher incidence of combination febrile morbidity with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP > 50 mg/l; p=0.046, and a higher incidence of CRP increase over 30 mg/l; p=0.005. Reconstructive procedures using synthetic mesh are accompanied by a higher incidence of early post-operative infectious complications.

  1. Atmospheric pCO2 Reconstructed across the Early Eocene Hyperthermals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Y.; Schubert, B.

    2015-12-01

    Negative carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) are commonly associated with extreme global warming. The Early Eocene is punctuated by five such CIEs, the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM, ca. 55.8 Ma), H1 (ca. 53.6 Ma), H2 (ca. 53.5 Ma), I1 (ca. 53.3 Ma), and I2 (ca. 53.2 Ma), each characterized by global warming. The negative CIEs are recognized in both marine and terrestrial substrates, but the terrestrial substrates exhibit a larger absolute magnitude CIE than the marine substrates. Here we reconcile the difference in CIE magnitude between the terrestrial and marine substrates for each of these events by accounting for the additional carbon isotope fractionation by C3 land plants in response to increased atmospheric pCO2. Our analysis yields background and peak pCO2 values for each of the events. Assuming a common mechanism for each event, we calculate that background pCO2 was not static across the Early Eocene, with the highest background pCO2 immediately prior to I2, the last of the five CIEs. Background pCO2 is dependent on the source used in our analysis with values ranging from 300 to 720 ppmv provided an injection of 13C-depleted carbon with δ13C value of -60‰ (e.g. biogenic methane). The peak pCO2 during each event scales according to the magnitude of CIE, and is therefore greatest during the PETM and smallest during H2. Both background and peak pCO2 are higher if we assume a mechanism of permafrost thawing (δ13C = -25‰). Our reconstruction of pCO2 across these events is consistent with trends in the δ18O value of deep-sea benthic foraminifera, suggesting a strong link between pCO2 and temperature during the Early Eocene.

  2. Reconstruction of the early invasion history of the quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) in Western Europe

    OpenAIRE

    Heiler, Katharina; Vaate, Abraham bij de; Ekschmitt, Klemens; Oheimb, Parm von; Albrecht, Christian; Wilke, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    The recent introduction of the quagga mussel into Western European freshwaters marked the beginning of one of the most successful biological invasions during the past years in this region. However, the spatial and temporal origin of the first invasive population(s) in Western Europe as well as subsequent spreading routes still remain under discussion. In this study, we therefore aim at reconstructing the early invasion history of the quagga mussel in Western Europe based on an age-corrected t...

  3. Transhepatic Hilar Approach for Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Significance of Early Judgment of Resectability and Safe Vascular Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuriyama, Naohisa; Isaji, Shuji; Tanemura, Akihiro; Iizawa, Yusuke; Kato, Hiroyuki; Murata, Yasuhiro; Azumi, Yoshinori; Kishiwada, Masashi; Mizuno, Shugo; Usui, Masanobu; Sakurai, Hiroyuki

    2017-03-01

    In the most common surgical procedure for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, the margin status of the proximal bile duct is determined at the final step. Our procedure, the transhepatic hilar approach, confirms a cancer-negative margin status of the proximal bile duct first. We first performed a partial hepatic parenchymal transection to expose the hilar plate, and then transected the proximal bile duct to confirm margin status. Then, divisions of the hepatic artery and portal vein of the future resected liver are performed, followed by the residual hepatic parenchymal transection. The transhepatic hilar approach offers a wide surgical field for safe resection and reconstruction of the portal vein in the middle of the hepatectomy. We reviewed 23 patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent major hepatectomy using our procedure from 2011 to 2015. A combined vascular resection and reconstruction was carried out in 14 patients (60.9%). R0 resection was achieved in 17 patients (73.9%), and the overall 3-year survival rate was 52.9% (median survival time 52.4 months). The transhepatic hilar approach is useful and practicable regardless of local tumor extension, enabling us to determine tumor resectability and perform safe resection and reconstruction of the portal vein early in the operation.

  4. Atom-dimer scattering in a heteronuclear mixture with a finite intraspecies scattering length

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Chao; Zhang, Peng

    2018-04-01

    We study the three-body problem of two ultracold identical bosonic atoms (denoted by B ) and one extra atom (denoted by X ), where the scattering length aB X between each bosonic atom and atom X is resonantly large and positive. We calculate the scattering length aad between one bosonic atom and the shallow dimer formed by the other bosonic atom and atom X , and investigate the effect induced by the interaction between the two bosonic atoms. We find that even if this interaction is weak (i.e., the corresponding scattering length aB B is of the same order of the van der Waals length rvdW or even smaller), it can still induce a significant effect for the atom-dimer scattering length aad. Explicitly, an atom-dimer scattering resonance can always occur when the value of aB B varies in the region with | aB B|≲ rvdW . As a result, both the sign and the absolute value of aad, as well as the behavior of the aad-aB X function, depends sensitively on the exact value of aB B. Our results show that, for a good quantitative theory, the intraspecies interaction is required to be taken into account for this heteronuclear system, even if this interaction is weak.

  5. Ecomorphological inferences in early vertebrates: reconstructing Dunkleosteus terrelli (Arthrodira, Placodermi) caudal fin from palaeoecological data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrón, Humberto G; Martínez-Pérez, Carlos; Botella, Héctor

    2017-01-01

    Our knowledge about the body morphology of many extinct early vertebrates is very limited, especially in regard to their post-thoracic region. The prompt disarticulation of the dermo-skeletal elements due to taphonomic processes and the lack of a well-ossified endoskeleton in a large number of groups hinder the preservation of complete specimens. Previous reconstructions of most early vertebrates known from partial remains have been wholly based on phylogenetically closely related taxa. However, body design of fishes is determined, to a large extent, by their swimming mode and feeding niche, making it possible to recognise different morphological traits that have evolved several times in non-closely related groups with similar lifestyles. Based on this well-known ecomorphological correlation, here we propose a useful comparative framework established on extant taxa for predicting some anatomical aspects in extinct aquatic vertebrates from palaeoecological data and vice versa. For this, we have assessed the relationship between the locomotory patterns and the morphological variability of the caudal region in extant sharks by means of geometric morphometrics and allometric regression analysis. Multivariate analyses reveal a strong morphological convergence in non-closely related shark species that share similar modes of life, enabling the characterization of the caudal fin morphology of different ecological subgroups. In addition, interspecific positive allometry, affecting mainly the caudal fin span, has been detected. This phenomenon seems to be stronger in sharks with more pelagic habits, supporting its role as a compensation mechanism for the loss of hydrodynamic lift associated with the increase in body size, as previously suggested for many other living and extinct aquatic vertebrates. The quantification of shape change per unit size in each ecological subgroup has allowed us to establish a basis for inferring not only qualitative aspects of the caudal fin

  6. Ecomorphological inferences in early vertebrates: reconstructing Dunkleosteus terrelli (Arthrodira, Placodermi caudal fin from palaeoecological data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Humberto G. Ferrón

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Our knowledge about the body morphology of many extinct early vertebrates is very limited, especially in regard to their post-thoracic region. The prompt disarticulation of the dermo-skeletal elements due to taphonomic processes and the lack of a well-ossified endoskeleton in a large number of groups hinder the preservation of complete specimens. Previous reconstructions of most early vertebrates known from partial remains have been wholly based on phylogenetically closely related taxa. However, body design of fishes is determined, to a large extent, by their swimming mode and feeding niche, making it possible to recognise different morphological traits that have evolved several times in non-closely related groups with similar lifestyles. Based on this well-known ecomorphological correlation, here we propose a useful comparative framework established on extant taxa for predicting some anatomical aspects in extinct aquatic vertebrates from palaeoecological data and vice versa. For this, we have assessed the relationship between the locomotory patterns and the morphological variability of the caudal region in extant sharks by means of geometric morphometrics and allometric regression analysis. Multivariate analyses reveal a strong morphological convergence in non-closely related shark species that share similar modes of life, enabling the characterization of the caudal fin morphology of different ecological subgroups. In addition, interspecific positive allometry, affecting mainly the caudal fin span, has been detected. This phenomenon seems to be stronger in sharks with more pelagic habits, supporting its role as a compensation mechanism for the loss of hydrodynamic lift associated with the increase in body size, as previously suggested for many other living and extinct aquatic vertebrates. The quantification of shape change per unit size in each ecological subgroup has allowed us to establish a basis for inferring not only qualitative aspects of

  7. Reconstructing Early Industrial Contributions to Legacy Trace Metal Contamination in Southwestern Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossi, R.; Bain, D.; Hillman, A. L.; Pompeani, D. P.; Abbott, M. B.

    2015-12-01

    The remobilization of legacy contamination stored in floodplain sediments remains a threat to ecosystem and human health, particularly with potential changes in global precipitation patterns and flooding regimes. Vehicular and industrial emissions are often the dominant, recognized source of anthropogenic trace metal loadings to ecosystems today. However, loadings from early industrial activities are poorly characterized and potential sources of trace metal inputs. While potential trace metal contamination from these activities is recognized (e.g., the historical use of lead arsenate as a pesticide), the magnitude and distribution of legacy contamination is often unknown. This presentation reconstructs a lake sediment record of trace metal inputs from an oxbow lake in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Sediment cores were analyzed for major and trace metal chemistry, carbon to nitrogen ratios, bulk density, and magnetic susceptibility. Sediment trace metal chemistry in this approximately 250 year record (180 cm) record changes in land use and industry both in the 19th century and the 20th century. Of particular interest is early 19th century loadings of arsenic and calcium to the lake, likely attributable to pesticides and lime used in tanning processes near the lake. After this period of tanning dominated inputs, sediment barium concentrations rise, likely reflecting the onset of coal mining operations and resulting discharge of acid mine drainage to surface waters. In the 20th century portion of our record (70 -20 cm), patterns in sediment zinc, cadmium, and lead concentrations are dominated by the opening and closing of the nearby Donora Zinc Works and the American Steel & Wire Works, infamous facilities in the history of air quality regulation. The most recent sediment chemistry records periods include the enactment of air pollution legislation (~ 35 cm), and the phase out of tetraethyl leaded gasoline (~30 cm). Our study documents the impact of early industry in the

  8. Transcriptome analysis on the exoskeleton formation in early developmetal stages and reconstruction scenario in growth-moulting in Litopenaeus vannamei

    OpenAIRE

    Yi Gao; Jiankai Wei; Jianbo Yuan; Xiaojun Zhang; Fuhua Li; Jianhai Xiang

    2017-01-01

    Exoskeleton construction is an important issue in shrimp. To better understand the molecular mechanism of exoskeleton formation, development and reconstruction, the transcriptome of the entire developmental process in Litopenaeus vannamei, including nine early developmental stages and eight adult-moulting stages, was sequenced and analysed using Illumina RNA-seq technology. A total of 117,539 unigenes were obtained, with 41.2% unigenes predicting the full-length coding sequence. Gene Ontology...

  9. Pollen reconstructions, tree-rings and early climate data from Minnesota, USA: a cautionary tale of bias and signal attentuation

    Science.gov (United States)

    St-Jacques, J. M.; Cumming, B. F.; Smol, J. P.; Sauchyn, D.

    2015-12-01

    High-resolution proxy reconstructions are essential to assess the rate and magnitude of anthropogenic global warming. High-resolution pollen records are being critically examined for the production of accurate climate reconstructions of the last millennium, often as extensions of tree-ring records. Past climate inference from a sedimentary pollen record depends upon the stationarity of the pollen-climate relationship. However, humans have directly altered vegetation, and hence modern pollen deposition is a product of landscape disturbance and climate, unlike in the past with its dominance of climate-derived processes. This could cause serious bias in pollen reconstructions. In the US Midwest, direct human impacts have greatly altered the vegetation and pollen rain since Euro-American settlement in the mid-19th century. Using instrumental climate data from the early 1800s from Fort Snelling (Minnesota), we assessed the bias from the conventional method of inferring climate from pollen assemblages in comparison to a calibration set from pre-settlement pollen assemblages and the earliest instrumental climate data. The pre-settlement calibration set provides more accurate reconstructions of 19th century temperature than the modern set does. When both calibration sets are used to reconstruct temperatures since AD 1116 from a varve-dated pollen record from Lake Mina, Minnesota, the conventional method produces significant low-frequency (centennial-scale) signal attenuation and positive bias of 0.8-1.7 oC, resulting in an overestimation of Little Ice Age temperature and an underestimation of anthropogenic warming. We also compared the pollen-inferred moisture reconstruction to a four-century tree-ring-inferred moisture record from Minnesota and Dakotas, which shows that the tree-ring reconstruction is biased towards dry conditions and records wet periods relatively poorly, giving a false impression of regional aridity. The tree-ring chronology also suggests varve

  10. Paleo-environmental Reconstruction of Oligocene to Early Miocene ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ADOWIE PERE

    province on the West African continental margin. It lies mainly in the ... basin are favorable for the generation, accumulation ... reconstruction as well as recognition of oil and gas deposits .... zone which covers from 1640ft to 11,100ft of the well.

  11. Exercise Rehabilitation after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keun Ok An

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES Exercise rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL reconstruction has changed dramatically in recent years. In this review, we discuss recent changes in exercise programs related to ACL rehabilitation. METHODS We conducted a literature review of recently published articles related exercise programs after ACL reconstruction. RESULTS The accelerated rehabilitation program, which allows patients to achieve full extension ofthe knee early in the postoperative period, is now a widely practiced rehabilitation program. A prospective study of rehabilitation programs after ACL reconstruction showed that early joint exercises do not interfere with the healing of grafts. Instead, they alleviate pain, thereby reducing the negative impact. Moreover, according to several biomechanical studies, open kinetic chain exercises are potentially disadvantageous to knee stability. There is no evidence that early weight bearing results in weakening of graft distraction or internal fixation compared with delayed weight bearing. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, prevention of ACL injuries and rehabilitative exercise training can help to achieve optimal exercise performance while avoiding the risk of sports-related injury.

  12. Clinical effect of vitamin A palmitate eye gel on early ocular surface reconstruction after thermal or chemical injuries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fen-Dui Zhang

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the clinical effect of vitamin A palmitate eye gel on early ocular surface reconstruction after thermal or chemical injuries. METHODS: Seventy-eight cases with thermal or chemical injuries to eyes were selected and divided into two groups by randomized, double-blind, positive drug parallel controlled method: group A(40 cases were treated with vitamin A palmitate eye geland group B \\〖38 cases were treated with basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF\\〗. The bFGF and vitamin A palmitate eye gel were used 4 times a day. The treatment course was 14d. Restoration of epithelial defect, Schirmer's test values, tear break-up time(BUT, and subjective assessment of symptoms and signs were observed on D1, D3, D5, D7, D10 and D14.RESULTS: In group A, 31 cases were cured, 5 cases were effective, with the cure rate of 76% and efficiency 90%. In group B, 32 cases were cured, 3 cases were effective, with the cure rate of 84% and efficiency 92%. There were no significant differences between the two groups(P>0.05. However, there were significant differences on the results of Schirmer's test and BUT(PPCONCLUSION: Vitamin A palmitate eye gel is valuable and safe on early ocular surface reconstruction of the eyes suffered from thermal or chemical injuries.

  13. Transcriptome analysis on the exoskeleton formation in early developmetal stages and reconstruction scenario in growth-moulting in Litopenaeus vannamei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yi; Wei, Jiankai; Yuan, Jianbo; Zhang, Xiaojun; Li, Fuhua; Xiang, Jianhai

    2017-04-24

    Exoskeleton construction is an important issue in shrimp. To better understand the molecular mechanism of exoskeleton formation, development and reconstruction, the transcriptome of the entire developmental process in Litopenaeus vannamei, including nine early developmental stages and eight adult-moulting stages, was sequenced and analysed using Illumina RNA-seq technology. A total of 117,539 unigenes were obtained, with 41.2% unigenes predicting the full-length coding sequence. Gene Ontology, Clusters of Orthologous Group (COG), the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis and functional annotation of all unigenes gave a better understanding of the exoskeleton developmental process in L. vannamei. As a result, more than six hundred unigenes related to exoskeleton development were identified both in the early developmental stages and adult-moulting. A cascade of sequential expression events of exoskeleton-related genes were summarized, including exoskeleton formation, regulation, synthesis, degradation, mineral absorption/reabsorption, calcification and hardening. This new insight on major transcriptional events provide a deep understanding for exoskeleton formation and reconstruction in L. vannamei. In conclusion, this is the first study that characterized the integrated transcriptomic profiles cover the entire exoskeleton development from zygote to adult-moulting in a crustacean, and these findings will serve as significant references for exoskeleton developmental biology and aquaculture research.

  14. Nonimaging aspects of follow-up in breast cancer reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, W C

    1991-09-01

    Follow-up of patients with breast cancer is directed to the early detection of recurrent or metastatic disease and the detection of new primary breast cancer. The survival benefit of early detection is limited to some patients with local failure or new primary tumors. That imaging is not used in follow-up of patients who have had breast cancer reconstruction is related to possible interference with this putative benefit by the reconstructive procedure. Such follow-up is accomplished by the patient's own surveillance, clinical examination, and laboratory testing supplemented by imaging studies. Clinical follow-up trials of women who have undergone breast reconstructive surgery show no evidence that locally recurrent breast carcinoma is masked when compared with follow-up of women who did not undergo reconstructive procedures. Reshaping of the contralateral breast to match the reconstructed breast introduces the possibility of interference with palpation as well as mammographic distortion in some women. This is an uncommon practical problem except when complicated by fat necrosis.

  15. Atmospheric pCO2 reconstructed across five early Eocene global warming events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Ying; Schubert, Brian A.

    2017-11-01

    Multiple short-lived global warming events, known as hyperthermals, occurred during the early Eocene (56-52 Ma). Five of these events - the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM or ETM1), H1 (or ETM2), H2, I1, and I2 - are marked by a carbon isotope excursion (CIE) within both marine and terrestrial sediments. The magnitude of CIE, which is a function of the amount and isotopic composition of carbon added to the ocean-atmosphere system, varies significantly between marine versus terrestrial substrates. Here we use the increase in carbon isotope fractionation by C3 land plants in response to increased pCO2 to reconcile this difference and reconstruct a range of background pCO2 and peak pCO2 for each CIE, provided two potential carbon sources: methane hydrate destabilization and permafrost-thawing/organic matter oxidation. Although the uncertainty on each pCO2 estimate using this approach is low (e.g., median uncertainty = + 23% / - 18%), this work highlights the potential for significant systematic bias in the pCO2 estimate resulting from sampling resolution, substrate type, diagenesis, and environmental change. Careful consideration of each of these factors is required especially when applying this approach to a single marine-terrestrial CIE pair. Given these limitations, we provide an upper estimate for background early Eocene pCO2 of 463 +248/-131 ppmv (methane hydrate scenario) to 806 +127/-104 ppmv (permafrost-thawing/organic matter oxidation scenario). These results, which represent the first pCO2 proxy estimates directly tied to the Eocene hyperthermals, demonstrate that early Eocene warmth was supported by background pCO2 less than ∼3.5× preindustrial levels and that pCO2 > 1000 ppmv may have occurred only briefly, during hyperthermal events.

  16. Early one-stage surgical reconstruction of the extremely high vagina in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donahoe, P K; Gustafson, M L

    1994-02-01

    High vaginal atresia is a very rare anomaly seen in the most severely masculinized females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. These children have a foreshortened vagina conjoining the urogenital sinus proximal to the external urethral sphincter. In the past, they have undergone early clitoral recession and labioscrotal reduction, followed by vaginal pull-through at 2 to 4 years of age. Cumulative experience with repair of this anomaly has led us to attempt earlier one-stage intervention and to develop techniques that circumvent previously encountered vaginal stenoses. One-stage reconstruction of three older children (ages 2 to 9 years) involved: closure of the urethrovaginal fistula, mobilization of the vagina from the rectum and urethra, use of bilateral buttock flaps to augment the anterior vaginal wall, augmentation of the posterior wall with an inverted perineal U flap, clitoral recession, and advancement of labioscrotal and clitoral shaft flaps inferiorly to create labia majora and minora (respectively). The introiti were quite capacious after employing such flaps, did not require postoperative dilatation, and were free of strictures or urethrovaginal fistulae during long-term follow-up. Three younger patients were seen for initial evaluation at 8 to 12 months of age, when early one-stage reconstruction was undertaken. Paradoxically, these repairs were technically less difficult and did not require buttock flap augmentation because an island of anterior perineal skin could be rotated in to reach the anterior vaginal wall. A nerve stimulator was used to identify the external urethral sphincter, while the vagina was aggressively mobilized and advanced forward beyond the site of fistula closure on the urethra to avert formation of a urethro-vaginal fistula.2 +

  17. Deformation of the Early Glaucomatous Monkey Optic Nerve Head Connective Tissue after Acute IOP Elevation in 3-D Histomorphometric Reconstructions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hongli; Thompson, Hilary; Roberts, Michael D.; Sigal, Ian A.; Downs, J. Crawford

    2011-01-01

    Purpose. To retest the hypothesis that monkey ONH connective tissues become hypercompliant in early experimental glaucoma (EEG), by using 3-D histomorphometric reconstructions, and to expand the characterization of EEG connective tissue deformation to nine EEG eyes. Methods. Trephinated ONH and peripapillary sclera from both eyes of nine monkeys that were perfusion fixed, with one normal eye at IOP 10 mm Hg and the other EEG eye at 10 (n = 3), 30 (n = 3), or 45 (n = 3) mm Hg were serial sectioned, 3-D reconstructed, 3-D delineated, and quantified with 3-D reconstruction techniques developed in prior studies by the authors. Overall, and for each monkey, intereye differences (EEG eye minus normal eye) for each parameter were calculated and compared by ANOVA. Hypercompliance in the EEG 30 and 45 eyes was assessed by ANOVA, and deformations in all nine EEG eyes were separately compared by region without regard for fixation IOP. Results. Hypercompliant deformation was not significant in the overall ANOVA, but was suggested in a subset of EEG 30/45 eyes. EEG eye deformations included posterior laminar deformation, neural canal expansion, lamina cribrosa thickening, and posterior (outward) bowing of the peripapillary sclera. Maximum posterior laminar deformation and scleral canal expansion co-localized to either the inferior nasal or superior temporal quadrants in the eyes with the least deformation and involved both quadrants in the eyes achieving the greatest deformation. Conclusions. The data suggest that, in monkey EEG, ONH connective tissue hypercompliance may occur only in a subset of eyes and that early ONH connective tissue deformation is maximized in the superior temporal and/or inferior nasal quadrants. PMID:20702834

  18. 3-D reconstructions of the early-November 2004 CDAW geomagnetic storms: analysis of Ooty IPS speed and density data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. M. Bisi

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Interplanetary scintillation (IPS remote-sensing observations provide a view of the solar wind covering a wide range of heliographic latitudes and heliocentric distances from the Sun between ~0.1 AU and 3.0 AU. Such observations are used to study the development of solar coronal transients and the solar wind while propagating out through interplanetary space. They can also be used to measure the inner-heliospheric response to the passage of coronal mass ejections (CMEs and co-rotating heliospheric structures. IPS observations can, in general, provide a speed estimate of the heliospheric material crossing the observing line of site; some radio antennas/arrays can also provide a radio scintillation level. We use a three-dimensional (3-D reconstruction technique which obtains perspective views from outward-flowing solar wind and co-rotating structure as observed from Earth by iteratively fitting a kinematic solar wind model to these data. Using this 3-D modelling technique, we are able to reconstruct the velocity and density of CMEs as they travel through interplanetary space. For the time-dependent model used here with IPS data taken from the Ootacamund (Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT in India, the digital resolution of the tomography is 10° by 10° in both latitude and longitude with a half-day time cadence. Typically however, the resolutions range from 10° to 20° in latitude and longitude, with a half- to one-day time cadence for IPS data dependant upon how much data are used as input to the tomography. We compare reconstructed structures during early-November 2004 with in-situ measurements from the Wind spacecraft orbiting the Sun-Earth L1-Point to validate the 3-D tomographic reconstruction results and comment on how these improve upon prior reconstructions.

  19. Demography of the Early Neolithic Population in Central Balkans: Population Dynamics Reconstruction Using Summed Radiocarbon Probability Distributions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marko Porčić

    Full Text Available The Central Balkans region is of great importance for understanding the spread of the Neolithic in Europe but the Early Neolithic population dynamics of the region is unknown. In this study we apply the method of summed calibrated probability distributions to a set of published radiocarbon dates from the Republic of Serbia in order to reconstruct population dynamics in the Early Neolithic in this part of the Central Balkans. The results indicate that there was a significant population growth after ~6200 calBC, when the Neolithic was introduced into the region, followed by a bust at the end of the Early Neolithic phase (~5400 calBC. These results are broadly consistent with the predictions of the Neolithic Demographic Transition theory and the patterns of population booms and busts detected in other regions of Europe. These results suggest that the cultural process that underlies the patterns observed in Central and Western Europe was also in operation in the Central Balkan Neolithic and that the population increase component of this process can be considered as an important factor for the spread of the Neolithic as envisioned in the demic diffusion hypothesis.

  20. Early multicentre experience of pre-pectoral implant based immediate breast reconstruction using Braxon®.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jafferbhoy, Sadaf; Chandarana, Mihir; Houlihan, Maria; Parmeshwar, Rishikesh; Narayanan, Sankaran; Soumian, Soni; Harries, Simon; Jones, Lucie; Clarke, Dayalan

    2017-12-01

    The last two decades have seen significant changes in surgical management of breast cancer. The offer of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) following mastectomy is currently standard practice. Skin sparing and nipple sparing mastectomy with implant-based IBR have emerged as oncologically safe treatment options. Prepectoral implant placement and complete coverage of implant with acellular dermal matrix (ADM) eliminates the need to detach the muscle from underlying chest wall in contrast to the subpectoral technique. We report short-term outcomes of a multicentre study from the United Kingdom (UK) using Braxon ® in women having an IBR. A prospective study was conducted from December 2015 to October 2016 and included all patients from three breast units in the UK who underwent a mastectomy and an implant-based IBR using Braxon ® . The demographic details, co-morbidities, operative details, immediate and delayed complications were recorded. Specific complications recorded were infection, seroma, unplanned readmission and loss of implant. A comparison was made with complications reported in the National Mastectomy and Reconstruction Audit. Seventy-eight IBRs were included in the analysis with a median follow-up of 9.98 months. Mean age of the cohort was 50 years with a mean body mass index of 25.7 kg/m 2 . Mean implant volume was 365 cc. The inpatient hospital stay was 1.48 days. About 23% of patients had a seroma, 30% had erythema requiring antibiotics and the explant rate was 10.2 percent. Bilateral reconstructions were significantly associated with implant loss and peri-operative complications on univariate analysis. Our early experience with this novel prepectoral technique using Braxon ® has shown it to be an effective technique with complication rates comparable to subpectoral IBR. The advantages of prepectoral implant-based IBR are quicker postoperative recovery and short post-operative hospital stay. Long-term studies are required to assess rippling, post

  1. Performance of the ATLAS primary vertex reconstruction algorithms

    CERN Document Server

    Zhang, Matt

    2017-01-01

    The reconstruction of primary vertices in the busy, high pile up environment of the LHC is a challenging task. The challenges and novel methods developed by the ATLAS experiment to reconstruct vertices in such environments will be presented. Such advances in vertex seeding include methods taken from medical imagining, which allow for reconstruction of very nearby vertices will be highlighted. The performance of the current vertexing algorithms using early Run-2 data will be presented and compared to results from simulation.

  2. Muon reconstruction performance in ATLAS at Run2

    CERN Document Server

    Lesage, Arthur; The ATLAS collaboration

    2015-01-01

    The ATLAS muon reconstruction performance in early 2015 data at $\\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV is presented. The muon reconstruction and isolation efficiencies are measured using dimuon resonances ($Z\\rightarrow\\mu\\mu$ and $J\\psi\\rightarrow\\mu\\mu$) as a function of the muon transverse momentum and pseudorapidity. The muon momentum corrections are also evaluated using the same dataset.

  3. Late-Eighteenth-Century Precipitation Reconstructions from James Madison's Montpelier Plantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Druckenbrod, Daniel L.; Mann, Michael E.; Stahle, David W.; Cleaveland, Malcolm K.; Therrell, Matthew D.; Shugart, Herman H.

    2003-01-01

    This study presents two independent reconstructions of precipitation from James Madison's Montpelier plantation at the end of the eighteenth century. The first is transcribed directly from meteorological diaries recorded by the Madison family for 17 years and reflects the scientific interests of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. In his most active period as a scientist, Madison assisted Jefferson by observing the climate and fauna in Virginia to counter the contemporary scientific view that the humid, cold climate of the New World decreased the size and number of its species. The second reconstruction is generated using tree rings from a forest in the Montpelier plantation and connects Madison's era to the modern instrumental precipitation record. These trees provide a significant reconstruction of both early summer and prior fall precipitation. Comparison of the dendroclimatic and diary reconstructions suggests a delay in the seasonality of precipitation from Madison's era to the mid-twentieth century. Furthermore, the dendroclimatic reconstructions of early summer and prior fall precipitation appear to track this shift in seasonality.

  4. Effect of early implementation of electrical muscle stimulation to prevent muscle atrophy and weakness in patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasegawa, Satoshi; Kobayashi, Masahiko; Arai, Ryuzo; Tamaki, Akira; Nakamura, Takashi; Moritani, Toshio

    2011-08-01

    Following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, restricted weight bearing and immobilization results in thigh and calf muscle atrophy and weakness. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) on prevention of muscle atrophy in patients during the early rehabilitation stage after ACL reconstruction. Twenty patients with acute ACL tears were divided into two groups randomly. The control group (CON group) participated in only the usual rehabilitation program. In addition to this protocol, the electrical muscle stimulation group (EMS group) received EMS training using the wave form of 20 Hz exponential pulse from the 2nd post-operative day to 4 weeks after the surgery. Muscle thickness of vastus lateralis and calf increased significantly 4 weeks after surgery in the EMS group, while it decreased significantly in the CON group. The decline of knee extension strength was significantly less in the EMS group than in the CON group at 4 weeks after the surgery, and the EMS group showed greater recovery of knee extension strength at 3 months after surgery. EMS implemented during the early rehabilitation stage is effective in maintaining and increasing muscle thickness and strength in the operated limb. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Muon reconstruction performance in ATLAS at Run 2

    CERN Document Server

    Lesage, Arthur; The ATLAS collaboration

    2015-01-01

    The ATLAS muon reconstruction performance in early 2015 data at $\\sqrt{s} = 13 \\mbox{ TeV}$ is presented. The muon reconstruction and isolation efficiencies are measured using dimuon resonances ($Z\\rightarrow\\mu^{+}\\mu^{-}$ and $J/\\psi\\rightarrow\\mu^{+}\\mu^{-}$) as a function of the muon transverse momentum and pseudorapidity. The muon momentum corrections are also evaluated using the same dataset.

  6. One-stage nipple and breast reconstruction following areola-sparing mastectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hye Ri; Lim, Jin Soo; Kim, Sue Min; Jung, Sung No; Yoo, Gyeol; Rha, Eun Young

    2013-09-01

    Skin-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction is increasingly becoming a proven surgical option for early-stage breast cancer patients. Areola-sparing mastectomy (ASM) has also recently become a popular procedure. The purpose of this article is to investigate the reconstructive and aesthetic issues experienced with one-stage nipple and breast reconstruction using ASM. Among the patients who underwent mastectomy between March 2008 and March 2010, 5 women with a low probability of nipple-areolar complex malignant involvement underwent ASM and immediate breast reconstruction with simultaneous nipple reconstruction using the modified C-V flap. The cosmetic outcomes of this series were reviewed by plastic surgeons and patient self-assessment and satisfaction were assessed via telephone interview. During the average 11-month follow-up period, there were no cases of cancer recurrence, the aesthetic outcomes were graded as excellent to very good, and all of the patients were satisfied. Two patients developed a gutter-like depression around the reconstructed nipple, and one patient developed skin erosion in a small area of the areola, which healed with conservative dressing. The other complications, such as necrosis of the skin flap or areola, seroma, hematoma, or fat necrosis did not occur. Since one-stage nipple and breast reconstruction following ASM is an oncologically safe, cost-effective, and aesthetically satisfactory procedure, it is a good surgical option for early breast cancer patients.

  7. Virtual reconstruction of the endocranial anatomy of the early Jurassic marine crocodylomorph Pelagosaurus typus (Thalattosuchia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie E. Pierce

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Thalattosuchians were highly specialised aquatic archosaurs of the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, and represent a peak of aquatic adaptation among crocodylomorphs. Relatively little is known of their endocranial anatomy or its relevance for the evolution of sensory systems, physiology, and other aspects of biology. Nevertheless, such data have significance for two reasons: (1 thalattosuchians represent an important data point regarding adaptation to marine life in tetrapods; and (2 as early-diverging members of the crocodylian stem-lineage, thalattosuchians provide information on the evolutionary assembly of the brain and other endocranial structures in crocodylomorphs. Here we use µCT data to virtually reconstruct the endocranial anatomy of Pelagosaurus typus, an early thalattosuchian with plesiomorphic traits of relevance to the split between the two major subgroups: Teleosauroidea and Metriorhynchoidea. Interpretation of these data in a broad comparative context indicate that several key endocranial features may be unique to thalattosuchians, including: a pyramidal morphology of the semicircular canals, the presence of an elongate endosseous cochlear duct that may indicate enhanced hearing ability, the presence of large, paired canals extending anteriorly from an enlarged pituitary fossa, a relatively straight brain (possibly due to the presence of large, laterally placed orbits, and an enlarged venous sinus projecting dorsally from the endocast that is confluent with the paratympanic sinus system. Notably, we document a large expansion of the nasal cavity anterior to the orbits in Pelagosaurus as an osteological correlate of an enlarged salt gland previously only documented in Late Jurassic metriorhynchoids. This is the first anatomical evidence of this structure in early thalattosuchians. Pelagosaurus also shares the presence of paired olfactory bulbs with metriorhynchoids, and shows an enlarged cerebrum, which may also be present in

  8. Postoperative evaluation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Measurements and abnormalities on radiographic and CT imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Min Cheol; Choi, Yun Sun; KIm, Hyoung Seop; Choi, Nam Hong [Nowon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-11-15

    Reconstruction of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a well-established procedure for repair of ACL injury. Despite improvement of surgical and rehabilitation techniques over the past decades, up to 25% of patients still fail to regain satisfactory function after an ACL reconstruction. With development of CT imaging techniques for reducing metal artifacts, multi-planar reconstruction, and three-dimensional reconstruction, early post-operative imaging is increasingly being used to provide immediate feedback to surgeons regarding tunnel positioning, fixation, and device placement. Early post-operative radiography and CT imaging are easy to perform and serve as the baseline examinations for future reference.

  9. Quadrantectomy and Nipple Saving Mastectomy in Treatment of Early Breast Cancer: Feasibility and Aesthetic Results of Adjunctive Latissmus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bassiouny, M.; El-Marakby, H.H.; Saber, N.; Zayed, S.B.; Shokry, A.

    2005-01-01

    Breast conserving surgery has been a recognised method of treatment of early breast cancer. The treatment methods include quadrantectomy or skin sparing mastectomy combined with ipsilateral axillary nodal dissection followed by radiotherapy. In the current study we evaluate the feasibility and oncologic safety of the quadrantectomy and SSM operations with preservation of the nipple and areola, and the cosmetic results of immediate reconstruction by using the latissmus dorsi flap. Materials and Methods: A breast conservative surgery (quadrantectomy or nipple sparing mastectomy) was carried out in a group of 55 patients with invasive breast cancer treated at the Department of Surgical Oncology, NCl, between January 2001 and April 2004. The selection criteria included those patients who presented with TI or T2 breast cancer and were located at least 2 cm from the nipple as the centre for the nipple areola complex. The age of the patients ranged from 32 years to 65 years. The follow up period ranged from 2 to 33 months with an average of 21 months. Pathological assessment of the specimens showed a negative safety margin in all cases. Most of our cases were invasive duct carcinoma grade 1-2 (42) (75%). The complications of the flap reconstruction included one major sloughing of the Iatissmus dorsi flap, 4 partial flap sloughing, 4 sloughing of the nipple and fat necrosis in 6 patients. The donor site healed normally in all of our cases except for one patient who suffered from a hypertrophic scar which settled down during the follow up period. The aesthetic assessment of the patients, showed an excellent to good results in the majority of cases (42) (75%) while in 6 (12%) results were fair and in 7 (13%) results were poor. Breast conservative surgery with quadrantectomy or skin sparing technique with preservation of the nipple and areola combined with immediate LD flap reconstruction is a valid procedure for treatment of early breast cancer. Immediate reconstruction by

  10. Trichostatin A (TSA) improves the development of rabbit-rabbit intraspecies cloned embryos, but not rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Li-Hong; Miao, Yi-Liang; Ouyang, Ying-Chun; Huang, Jun-Cheng; Lei, Zi-Li; Yang, Ji-Wen; Han, Zhi-Ming; Song, Xiang-Fen; Sun, Qing-Yuan; Chen, Da-Yuan

    2008-03-01

    The interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) technique for therapeutic cloning gives great promise for treatment of many human diseases. However, the incomplete nuclear reprogramming and the low blastocyst rate of iSCNT are still big problems. Herein, we observed the effect of TSA on the development of rabbit-rabbit intraspecies and rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos. After treatment with TSA for 6 hr during activation, we found that the blastocyst rate of rabbit-rabbit cloned embryos was more than two times higher than that of untreated embryos; however, the blastocyst rate of TSA-treated rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos decreased. We also found evident time-dependent histone deacetylation-reacetylation changes in rabbit-rabbit cloned embryos, but not in rabbit-human cloned embryos from fusion to 6 hr after activation. Our results suggest that TSA-treatment does not improve blastocyst development of rabbit-human iSCNT embryos and that abnormal histone deacetylation-reacetylation changes in iSCNT embryos may account for their poor blastocyst development. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  11. Early Articular Cartilage MRI T2 Changes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Correlate With Later Changes in T2 and Cartilage Thickness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Ashley; Winalski, Carl S.; Chu, Constance R.

    2018-01-01

    Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a known risk factor for future development of osteoarthritis (OA). This human clinical study seeks to determine if early changes to cartilage MRI T2 maps between baseline and 6 months following ACL reconstruction (ACLR) are associated with changes to cartilage T2 and cartilage thickness between baseline and 2 years after ACLR. Changes to T2 texture metrics and T2 mean values in medial knee cartilage of 17 human subjects 6 months after ACLR were compared to 2-year changes in T2 and in cartilage thickness of the same areas. T2 texture and mean assessments were also compared to that of 11 uninjured controls. In ACLR subjects, six-month changes in mean T2 correlated to 2-year changes in mean T2 (R = 0.80, p = 0.0001), and 6-month changes to T2 texture metrics, but not T2 mean, correlated with 2-year changes in medial femoral cartilage thickness in 9 of the 20 texture features assessed (R = 0.48–0.72, p ≤ 0.05). Both mean T2 and texture differed (p evaluation of T2 map and textural changes may provide early warning of cartilage at risk for progressive degeneration after ACL injury and reconstruction. PMID:27381512

  12. Labral reconstruction: when to perform and how

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian J White

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Over the past decade, the understanding of the anatomy and function of the hip joint has continuously evolved, and surgical treatment options for the hip have significantly progressed. Originally, surgical treatment of the hip primarily involved resection of damaged tissue. Procedures that maintain and preserve proper hip anatomy, such as labral repair and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI correction, have shown superior results, in terms of pain reduction, increased function, and ability to return to activities. Labral reconstruction is a treatment option that uses a graft to reconstruct the native labrum. The technique and outcomes of labral reconstruction have been described relatively recently, and labral reconstruction is a cutting edge procedure that has shown promising early outcomes. The aim of this article is to review the current literature on hip labral reconstruction. We will review the indications for labral reconstruction, surgical technique and graft options, and surgical outcomes that have been described to date. Labral reconstruction provides an alternative treatment option for challenging intra-articular hip problems. Labral reconstruction restores the original anatomy of the hip and has the potential to preserve the longevity of the hip joint. This technique is an important tool in the orthopaedic surgeon’s arsenal for hip joint treatment and preservation.

  13. Intraspecies Competition in Serratia marcescens Is Mediated by Type VI-Secreted Rhs Effectors and a Conserved Effector-Associated Accessory Protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alcoforado Diniz, Juliana; Coulthurst, Sarah J

    2015-07-01

    The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is widespread in Gram-negative bacteria and can deliver toxic effector proteins into eukaryotic cells or competitor bacteria. Antibacterial T6SSs are increasingly recognized as key mediators of interbacterial competition and may contribute to the outcome of many polymicrobial infections. Multiple antibacterial effectors can be delivered by these systems, with diverse activities against target cells and distinct modes of secretion. Polymorphic toxins containing Rhs repeat domains represent a recently identified and as-yet poorly characterized class of T6SS-dependent effectors. Previous work had revealed that the potent antibacterial T6SS of the opportunistic pathogen Serratia marcescens promotes intraspecies as well as interspecies competition (S. L. Murdoch, K. Trunk, G. English, M. J. Fritsch, E. Pourkarimi, and S. J. Coulthurst, J Bacteriol 193:6057-6069, 2011, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JB.05671-11). In this study, two new Rhs family antibacterial effectors delivered by this T6SS have been identified. One of these was shown to act as a DNase toxin, while the other contains a novel, cytoplasmic-acting toxin domain. Importantly, using S. marcescens, it has been demonstrated for the first time that Rhs proteins, rather than other T6SS-secreted effectors, can be the primary determinant of intraspecies competition. Furthermore, a new family of accessory proteins associated with T6SS effectors has been identified, exemplified by S. marcescens EagR1, which is specifically required for deployment of its associated Rhs effector. Together, these findings provide new insight into how bacteria can use the T6SS to deploy Rhs-family effectors and mediate different types of interbacterial interactions. Infectious diseases caused by bacterial pathogens represent a continuing threat to health and economic prosperity. To counter this threat, we must understand how such organisms survive and prosper. The type VI secretion system is a weapon that

  14. Do Local Elites Capture Natural Disaster Reconstruction Funds?

    OpenAIRE

    Yoshito Takasaki

    2009-01-01

    This paper examines the allocation of natural disaster reconstruction funds among cyclone victims in rural Fiji. During post-emergency periods, when good information about cyclone damage is available, do local elites, a powerful minority, capture housing construction materials? With effective targeting in both receipt and the amount received, local elites do not capture larger benefits. More severely affected victims are not early recipients, though, because the supply of reconstruction funds...

  15. Carboniferous paleogeographic, phytogeographic, and paleoclimatic reconstructions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowley, D.B.; Raymond, A.; Parrish, Judith T.; Lottes, A.L.; Scotese, C.R.; Ziegler, A.M.

    1985-01-01

    Two revised paleogeographic reconstructions of the Visean and Westphalian C-D stages are presented based on recent paleomagnetic, phytogeographic, stratigraphic, and tectonic data. These data change the positions of some continental blocks, and allow the definition of several new ones. The most important modifications that have been incorporated in these reconstructions are: (1) a proposed isthmus linking North America and Siberia across the Bering Strait; and (2) the separation of China and Southeast Asia in six major blocks, including South China, North China, Shan Thai-Malaya, Indochina, Qangtang, and Tarim blocks. Evidence is presented that suggests that at least the South China, Shan Thai-Malaya, and Qangtang blocks were derived from the northern margin of Gondwana. Multivariate statistical analysis of phytogeographic data from the middle and late Paleozoic allow definition of a number of different phytogeographic units for four time intervals: (1) the Early Devonian, (2) Tournaisian-early Visean, (3) Visean, and (4) late Visean-early Namurian A. Pre-late Visean-early Namurian A floral assemblages from South China show affinities with northern Gondwana floras suggesting a southerly position and provides additional support for our reconstruction of South China against the northern margin of Gondwana. There is a marked decrease in the diversity of phytogeographic units in the Namurian and younger Carboniferous. This correlates closely with the time of assembly of most of Pangaea. The general pattern of Carboniferous phytogeographic units corresponds well with global distribution of continents shown on our paleogeographic reconstructions. In addition, we have constructed paleoclimatic maps for the two Carboniferous time intervals. These maps stress the distribution of rainfall, as this should be strongly correlated with the floras. There is marked change in the rainfall patterns between the Visean and Westphalian C-D. This change corresponds with the closing of

  16. Cosmological reconstruction of realistic modified F(R) gravities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nojiri, Shin'ichi; Odintsov, Sergei D.; Saez-Gomez, Diego

    2009-01-01

    The cosmological reconstruction scheme for modified F(R) gravity is developed in terms of e-folding (or, redshift). It is demonstrated how any FRW cosmology may emerge from specific F(R) theory. The specific examples of well-known cosmological evolution are reconstructed, including ΛCDM cosmology, deceleration with transition to phantom superacceleration era which may develop singularity or be transient. The application of this scheme to viable F(R) gravities unifying inflation with dark energy era is proposed. The additional reconstruction of such models leads to non-leading gravitational correction mainly relevant at the early/late universe and helping to pass the cosmological bounds (if necessary). It is also shown how cosmological reconstruction scheme may be generalized in the presence of scalar field.

  17. One-Stage Nipple and Breast Reconstruction Following Areola-Sparing Mastectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hye Ri Kim

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundSkin-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction is increasingly becoming a proven surgical option for early-stage breast cancer patients. Areola-sparing mastectomy (ASM has also recently become a popular procedure. The purpose of this article is to investigate the reconstructive and aesthetic issues experienced with one-stage nipple and breast reconstruction using ASM.MethodsAmong the patients who underwent mastectomy between March 2008 and March 2010, 5 women with a low probability of nipple-areolar complex malignant involvement underwent ASM and immediate breast reconstruction with simultaneous nipple reconstruction using the modified C-V flap. The cosmetic outcomes of this series were reviewed by plastic surgeons and patient self-assessment and satisfaction were assessed via telephone interview.ResultsDuring the average 11-month follow-up period, there were no cases of cancer recurrence, the aesthetic outcomes were graded as excellent to very good, and all of the patients were satisfied. Two patients developed a gutter-like depression around the reconstructed nipple, and one patient developed skin erosion in a small area of the areola, which healed with conservative dressing. The other complications, such as necrosis of the skin flap or areola, seroma, hematoma, or fat necrosis did not occur.ConclusionsSince one-stage nipple and breast reconstruction following ASM is an oncologically safe, cost-effective, and aesthetically satisfactory procedure, it is a good surgical option for early breast cancer patients.

  18. Intraspecies variation in BMR does not affect estimates of early hominin total daily energy expenditure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Froehle, Andrew W; Schoeninger, Margaret J

    2006-12-01

    We conducted a meta-analysis of 45 studies reporting basal metabolic rate (BMR) data for Homo sapiens and Pan troglodytes to determine the effects of sex, age, and latitude (a proxy for climate, in humans only). BMR was normalized for body size using fat-free mass in humans and body mass in chimpanzees. We found no effect of sex in either species and no age effect in chimpanzees. In humans, juveniles differed significantly from adults (ANCOVA: P BMR and body size, and used them to predict total daily energy expenditure (TEE) in four early hominin species. Our predictions concur with previous TEE estimates (i.e. Leonard and Robertson: Am J Phys Anthropol 102 (1997) 265-281), and support the conclusion that TEE increased greatly with H. erectus. Our results show that intraspecific variation in BMR does not affect TEE estimates for interspecific comparisons. Comparisons of more closely related groups such as humans and Neandertals, however, may benefit from consideration of this variation. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  19. Early reconstruction of bone defect created after initial surgery of a large keratocystic odontogenic tumor: A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matijević Stevo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT is defined as a benign cystic neoplasm of the jaws of odontogenic origin with a high rate of recurrence. The most lesions occur in the posterior part of the mandible. Treatment of KCOT remains controversial, but the goals of treatment should involve eliminating the potential for recurrence while minimizing surgical morbidity. However, another significant therapeutic problem related to the management of KCOT is an adequate and early reconstruction of the existing jaw defect, as well as appropriate aesthetic and functional rehabilitation of a patient, especially in cases of a very large destruction of the jaws bone. Case report. We presented a 65-year-old female patient with very large KCOT of the mandible. Orthopantomographic radiography showed a very large elliptical multilocular radiolucency, located on the right side of the mandible body and the ascending ramus of the mandible, with radiographic evidence of cortical perforation at the anterior border of the mandibular ramus and the superior border of the alveolar part of the mandible. The surgical treatment included two phases. In the first phase, the tumor was removed by enucleation and additional use of Carnoy solution, performing peripheral ostectomy and excision of the affected overlying mucosa, while in the second phase, restorative surgery of the existing mandibular defect was performed 6 months later. Postoperatively, we did not register any of postoperative complications, nor recurrence within 2 years of the follow-up. Conclusion. Adequate and early reconstruction of the existing jaw defect and appropriate aesthetic and functional rehabilitation of the patient should be the primary goal in the treatment of KCOT, having in mind the need for a long-term post-surgical follow-up.

  20. Intraspecies Volatile Interactions Affect Growth Rates and Exometabolomes in Aspergillus oryzae KCCM 60345.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Digar; Lee, Choong Hwan

    2018-02-28

    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are increasingly been recognized as the chemical mediators of mold interactions, shaping their community dynamics, growth, and metabolism. Herein, we selectively examined the time-correlated (0 D-11 D, where D = incubation days) effects of intraspecies VOC-mediated interactions (VMI) on Aspergillus oryzae KCCM 60345 (S1), following co-cultivation with partner strain A. oryzae KACC 44967 (S2), in a specially designed twin plate assembly. The comparative evaluation of S1 VMI (S1 subjected to VMI with S2) and its control (S1 Con ) showed a notable disparity in their radial growth (S1 VMI S1 Con ) at 3-5 D, amylase activity (S1 VMI S1 Con ) at 3 D. Furthermore, we observed a distinct clustering pattern for gas chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry datasets from 5 D extracts of S1 VMI and S1 Con in principle component analysis (PC1: 30.85%; PC2: 10.31%) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) (PLS1: 30.77; PLS2: 10.15%). Overall, 43 significantly discriminant metabolites were determined for engendering the metabolic variance based on the PLS-DA model (VIP > 0.7, p S1 Con ) at 5 D, organic acids (S1 VMI > S1 Con ) at 5 D, and kojic acid (S1 VMI < S1 Con ) at 5-7 D were observed. Examining the headspace VOCs shared between S1 and S2 in the twin plate for 5 D incubated samples, we observed the relatively higher abundance of C-8 VOCs (1-octen-3-ol, (5Z)-octa-1,5-dien-3-ol, 3-octanone, 1-octen-3-ol acetate) having known semiochemical functions. The present study potentially illuminates the effects of VMI on commercially important A. oryzae's growth and biochemical phenotypes with subtle details of altered metabolomes.

  1. Intraspecies Variability Affects Heterotypic Biofilms of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia: Evidences of Strain-Dependence Biofilm Modulation by Physical Contact and by Released Soluble Factors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graziela Murta Barbosa

    Full Text Available It is well known that strain and virulence diversity exist within the population structure of Porphyromonas gingivalis. In the present study we investigate intra- and inter-species variability in biofilm formation of Porphyromonas gingivalis and partners Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens. All strains tested showed similar hydrophobicity, except for P. gingivalis W83 which has roughly half of the hydrophobicity of P. gingivalis ATCC33277. An intraspecies variability in coaggregation of P. gingivalis with P. intermedia was also found. The association P. gingivalis W83/P. intermedia 17 produced the thickest biofilm and strain 17 was prevalent. In a two-compartment system P. gingivalis W83 stimulates an increase in biomass of strain 17 and the latter did not stimulate the growth of P. gingivalis W83. In addition, P. gingivalis W83 also stimulates the growth of P. intermedia ATCC25611 although strain W83 was prevalent in the association with P. intermedia ATCC25611. P. gingivalis ATCC33277 was prevalent in both associations with P. intermedia and both strains of P. intermedia stimulate the growth of P. gingivalis ATCC33277. FISH images also showed variability in biofilm structure. Thus, the outcome of the association P. gingivalis/P. intermedia seems to be strain-dependent, and both soluble factors and physical contact are relevant. The association P. gingivalis-P. nigrescens ATCC33563 produced larger biomass than each monotypic biofilm, and P. gingivalis was favored in consortia, while no differences were found in the two-compartment system. Therefore, in consortia P. gingivalis-P. nigrescens physical contact seems to favor P. gingivalis growth. The intraspecies variability found in our study suggests strain-dependence in ability of microorganisms to recognize molecules in other bacteria which may further elucidate the dysbiosis event during periodontitis development giving additional explanation for periodontal bacteria, such as P

  2. Intraspecies Variability Affects Heterotypic Biofilms of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia: Evidences of Strain-Dependence Biofilm Modulation by Physical Contact and by Released Soluble Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbosa, Graziela Murta; Colombo, Andrea Vieira; Rodrigues, Paulo Henrique; Simionato, Maria Regina Lorenzetti

    2015-01-01

    It is well known that strain and virulence diversity exist within the population structure of Porphyromonas gingivalis. In the present study we investigate intra- and inter-species variability in biofilm formation of Porphyromonas gingivalis and partners Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens. All strains tested showed similar hydrophobicity, except for P. gingivalis W83 which has roughly half of the hydrophobicity of P. gingivalis ATCC33277. An intraspecies variability in coaggregation of P. gingivalis with P. intermedia was also found. The association P. gingivalis W83/P. intermedia 17 produced the thickest biofilm and strain 17 was prevalent. In a two-compartment system P. gingivalis W83 stimulates an increase in biomass of strain 17 and the latter did not stimulate the growth of P. gingivalis W83. In addition, P. gingivalis W83 also stimulates the growth of P. intermedia ATCC25611 although strain W83 was prevalent in the association with P. intermedia ATCC25611. P. gingivalis ATCC33277 was prevalent in both associations with P. intermedia and both strains of P. intermedia stimulate the growth of P. gingivalis ATCC33277. FISH images also showed variability in biofilm structure. Thus, the outcome of the association P. gingivalis/P. intermedia seems to be strain-dependent, and both soluble factors and physical contact are relevant. The association P. gingivalis-P. nigrescens ATCC33563 produced larger biomass than each monotypic biofilm, and P. gingivalis was favored in consortia, while no differences were found in the two-compartment system. Therefore, in consortia P. gingivalis-P. nigrescens physical contact seems to favor P. gingivalis growth. The intraspecies variability found in our study suggests strain-dependence in ability of microorganisms to recognize molecules in other bacteria which may further elucidate the dysbiosis event during periodontitis development giving additional explanation for periodontal bacteria, such as P. gingivalis and P

  3. The bias and signal attenuation present in conventional pollen-based climate reconstructions as assessed by early climate data from Minnesota, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Jacques, Jeannine-Marie; Cumming, Brian F; Sauchyn, David J; Smol, John P

    2015-01-01

    The inference of past temperatures from a sedimentary pollen record depends upon the stationarity of the pollen-climate relationship. However, humans have altered vegetation independent of changes to climate, and consequently modern pollen deposition is a product of landscape disturbance and climate, which is different from the dominance of climate-derived processes in the past. This problem could cause serious signal distortion in pollen-based reconstructions. In the north-central United States, direct human impacts have strongly altered the modern vegetation and hence the pollen rain since Euro-American settlement in the mid-19th century. Using instrumental temperature data from the early 1800 s from Fort Snelling (Minnesota), we assessed the signal distortion and bias introduced by using the conventional method of inferring temperature from pollen assemblages in comparison to a calibration set from pre-settlement pollen assemblages and the earliest instrumental climate data. The early post-settlement calibration set provides more accurate reconstructions of the 19th century instrumental record, with less bias, than the modern set does. When both modern and pre-industrial calibration sets are used to reconstruct past temperatures since AD 1116 from pollen counts from a varve-dated record from Lake Mina, Minnesota, the conventional inference method produces significant low-frequency (centennial-scale) signal attenuation and positive bias of 0.8-1.7 °C, resulting in an overestimation of Little Ice Age temperature and likely an underestimation of the extent and rate of anthropogenic warming in this region. However, high-frequency (annual-scale) signal attenuation exists with both methods. Hence, we conclude that any past pollen spectra from before Euro-American settlement in this region should be interpreted using a pre-Euro-American settlement pollen set, paired to the earliest instrumental climate records. It remains to be explored how widespread this problem is

  4. The bias and signal attenuation present in conventional pollen-based climate reconstructions as assessed by early climate data from Minnesota, USA.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeannine-Marie St Jacques

    Full Text Available The inference of past temperatures from a sedimentary pollen record depends upon the stationarity of the pollen-climate relationship. However, humans have altered vegetation independent of changes to climate, and consequently modern pollen deposition is a product of landscape disturbance and climate, which is different from the dominance of climate-derived processes in the past. This problem could cause serious signal distortion in pollen-based reconstructions. In the north-central United States, direct human impacts have strongly altered the modern vegetation and hence the pollen rain since Euro-American settlement in the mid-19th century. Using instrumental temperature data from the early 1800 s from Fort Snelling (Minnesota, we assessed the signal distortion and bias introduced by using the conventional method of inferring temperature from pollen assemblages in comparison to a calibration set from pre-settlement pollen assemblages and the earliest instrumental climate data. The early post-settlement calibration set provides more accurate reconstructions of the 19th century instrumental record, with less bias, than the modern set does. When both modern and pre-industrial calibration sets are used to reconstruct past temperatures since AD 1116 from pollen counts from a varve-dated record from Lake Mina, Minnesota, the conventional inference method produces significant low-frequency (centennial-scale signal attenuation and positive bias of 0.8-1.7 °C, resulting in an overestimation of Little Ice Age temperature and likely an underestimation of the extent and rate of anthropogenic warming in this region. However, high-frequency (annual-scale signal attenuation exists with both methods. Hence, we conclude that any past pollen spectra from before Euro-American settlement in this region should be interpreted using a pre-Euro-American settlement pollen set, paired to the earliest instrumental climate records. It remains to be explored how widespread

  5. Insights into Intraspecies Variation in Primate Prosocial Behavior: Capuchins (Cebus apella Fail to Show Prosociality on a Touchscreen Task

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lindsey A. Drayton

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Over the past decade, many researchers have used food donation tasks to test whether nonhuman primates show human-like patterns of prosocial behavior in experimental settings. Although these tasks are elegant in their simplicity, performance within and across species is difficult to explain under a unified theoretical framework. Here, we attempt to better understand variation in prosociality by examining the circumstances that promote and hinder the expression of prosocial preferences. To this end, we tested whether capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella—a species that has previously demonstrated prosocial preferences—would behave prosocially using a novel touchscreen task. In contrast to previous studies, we found that capuchins as a group did not prosocially deliver food to a partner. Importantly however, data from control conditions revealed that subjects demonstrated limited understanding of the reward contingencies of the task. We also compared individuals’ performance in the current study with their performance in a previously published prosociality study. We conclude by discussing how continuing to explore intraspecies variation in performance on prosocial tasks may help inform debates regarding the existence of other-regarding preferences in nonhuman species.

  6. UV Reconstruction Algorithm And Diurnal Cycle Variability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curylo, Aleksander; Litynska, Zenobia; Krzyscin, Janusz; Bogdanska, Barbara

    2009-03-01

    UV reconstruction is a method of estimation of surface UV with the use of available actinometrical and aerological measurements. UV reconstruction is necessary for the study of long-term UV change. A typical series of UV measurements is not longer than 15 years, which is too short for trend estimation. The essential problem in the reconstruction algorithm is the good parameterization of clouds. In our previous algorithm we used an empirical relation between Cloud Modification Factor (CMF) in global radiation and CMF in UV. The CMF is defined as the ratio between measured and modelled irradiances. Clear sky irradiance was calculated with a solar radiative transfer model. In the proposed algorithm, the time variability of global radiation during the diurnal cycle is used as an additional source of information. For elaborating an improved reconstruction algorithm relevant data from Legionowo [52.4 N, 21.0 E, 96 m a.s.l], Poland were collected with the following instruments: NILU-UV multi channel radiometer, Kipp&Zonen pyranometer, radiosonde profiles of ozone, humidity and temperature. The proposed algorithm has been used for reconstruction of UV at four Polish sites: Mikolajki, Kolobrzeg, Warszawa-Bielany and Zakopane since the early 1960s. Krzyscin's reconstruction of total ozone has been used in the calculations.

  7. One-Stage Nipple and Breast Reconstruction Following Areola-Sparing Mastectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hye Ri Kim

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background Skin-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction is increasinglybecoming a proven surgical option for early-stage breast cancer patients. Areola-sparingmastectomy (ASM has also recently become a popular procedure. The purpose of this articleis to investigate the reconstructive and aesthetic issues experienced with one-stage nippleand breast reconstruction using ASM.Methods Among the patients who underwent mastectomy between March 2008 and March2010, 5 women with a low probability of nipple-areolar complex malignant involvement underwentASM and immediate breast reconstruction with simultaneous nipple reconstructionusing the modified C-V flap. The cosmetic outcomes of this series were reviewed by plasticsurgeons and patient self-assessment and satisfaction were assessed via telephone interview.Results During the average 11-month follow-up period, there were no cases of cancer recurrence,the aesthetic outcomes were graded as excellent to very good, and all of the patientswere satisfied. Two patients developed a gutter-like depression around the reconstructednipple, and one patient developed skin erosion in a small area of the areola, which healedwith conservative dressing. The other complications, such as necrosis of the skin flap or areola,seroma, hematoma, or fat necrosis did not occur.Conclusions Since one-stage nipple and breast reconstruction following ASM is an oncologicallysafe, cost-effective, and aesthetically satisfactory procedure, it is a good surgical optionfor early breast cancer patients.

  8. [Epidemiologic diagnostic of nosocomial suppurative-septic infections of Pseudomonas etiology based on intraspecies typing of causative agent].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fel'dblium, I V; Zakharova, Iu A; Nikolaeva, A M; Fedotova, O S

    2013-01-01

    Scientific justification of optimization of epidemiologic diagnostic of suppurative-septic infection (SSI) caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on comparability of antibiotic sensitivity and beta-lactamase production. Intraspecies typing of 37 P. aeruginosa strains isolated during microbiological monitoring of 106 patients and 131 objects of clinical environment of surgical and obstetrician hospitals by using a complex ofphenotypic and molecular-biological methods including determination of sensitivity to antibiotics by serial dilutions method and PCR-diagnostics with determination of TEM, SHV, CTX, OXA, MBL, VIM genes was performed. P. aeruginosa strains combined into groups by isolation location during studies turned out to be heterogeneous by sensitivity to antibiotics and beta-lactamase production that allowed to form subgroups of strains by focality attribute. Isolates recovered from different SSI foci had significant differences in minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) reaching 1024 times. MIC parameter within subgroups did not exceed 8 - 16 consequent dilutions. Use of a complex of phenotypic and molecular-biologic methods of causative agent typing including determination of sensitivity to antibiotics by serial dilutions method and evaluation of beta-lactamase production allowed to establish a mechanism of development of SSI epidemic process caused by P. aeruginosa, detect origins and reservoirs of infection in hospital, modes and factors of transmission and reach maximum justification of epidemiologic control and prophylaxis measures of localization of foci of nosocomial infections of pseudomonas etiology.

  9. Hanford environmental dose reconstruction project - an overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shipler, D.B.; Napier, B.A.; Farris, W.T.

    1996-01-01

    The Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project was initiated because of public interest in the historical releases of radioactive materials from the Hanford Site, located in southcentral Washington State. By 1986, over 38,000 pages of environmental monitoring documentation from the early years of Hanford operations had been released. Special committees reviewing the documents recommended initiation of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project, which began in October 1987, and is conducted by Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories. The technical approach taken was to reconstruct releases of radioactive materials based on facility operating information; develop and/or adapt transport, pathway, and dose models and computer codes; reconstruct environmental, meterological, and hydrological monitoring information; reconstruct demographic, agricultural, and lifestyle characteristics; apply statistical methods to all forms of uncertainty in the information, parameters, and models; and perform scientific investigation that were technically defensible. The geographic area for the study includes ∼2 x 10 5 km 2 (75,000 mi 2 ) in eastern Washington, western Idaho, and northeastern Oregon (essentially the Mid-columbia Basin of the Pacific Northwest). Three exposure pathways were considered: the atmosphere, the Columbia River, and ground water

  10. Virtual reconstruction of the Early Pleistocene mandible ATD6-96 from Gran Dolina-TD6-2 (Sierra De Atapuerca, Spain).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bermúdez de Castro, José María; Martín-Francés, Laura; Modesto-Mata, Mario; Martínez de Pinillos, Marina; Martinón-Torres, María; García-Campos, Cecilia; Carretero, José Miguel

    2016-04-01

    In this report, we present a further study of the late Early Pleistocene ATD6-96 human mandible, recovered from the TD6-2 level of the Gran Dolina cave site (Sierra de Atapuerca, northern Spain) and attributed to Homo antecessor. ATD6-96 consists of a left half of a gracile mandible of an adult individual with the premolars and molars in place that is broken at the level of the lateral incisor-canine septum. The present analysis is based on a virtual reconstruction of the whole mandible by means of computed tomography (CT). We have reconstructed the symphysis using information from a modern human sample, as well as from a wide sample composed of several Homo specimens. This research has allowed us to record new variables with taxonomic and phylogenetic interest. We have estimated the length/width index of the alveolar arcade, as well as the percentage of the arcade length with regard to the total length. The latter confirms that ATD6-96 shares with all African and Asian Homo species a primitive structural pattern, as it was established in previous studies. In constrast, the length/width index of the alveolar arcade in the H. antecessor specimen is close to the mean values of Neandertals and the Atapuerca-Sima de los Huesos hominins. H. antecessor is derived regarding the shape of the mandibular alveolar arcade within the genus Homo and points to an early divergence from contemporaneous African populations. Our results also ratify the affinities of H. antecessor with Neanderthals, although the precise relationship with this lineage needs further research. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Liquid Argon TPC Signal Formation, Signal Processing and Hit Reconstruction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baller, Bruce [Fermilab

    2017-03-11

    This document describes the early stage of the reconstruction chain that was developed for the ArgoNeuT and MicroBooNE experiments at Fermilab. These experiments study accelerator neutrino interactions that occur in a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber. Reconstructing the properties of particles produced in these interactions requires knowledge of the micro-physics processes that affect the creation and transport of ionization electrons to the readout system. A wire signal deconvolution technique was developed to convert wire signals to a standard form for hit reconstruction, to remove artifacts in the electronics chain and to remove coherent noise.

  12. Description, new reconstruction, comparative anatomy, and classification of the Sterkfontein Stw 53 cranium, with discussions about the taxonomy of other southern African early Homo remains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curnoe, Darren; Tobias, Phillip V

    2006-01-01

    Specimen Stw 53 was recovered in 1976 from Member 5 of the Sterkfontein Formation. Since its incomplete initial description and comparison, the partial cranium has figured prominently in discussions about the systematics of early Homo. Despite publication of a preliminary reconstruction in 1985, Stw 53 has yet to be compared comprehensively to other Plio-Pleistocene fossils or assessed systematically. In this paper, we report on a new reconstruction of this specimen and provide a detailed description and comparison of its morphology. Our reconstruction differs in important respects from the earlier one, especially in terms of neurocranial length, breadth, and height. However, given that Stw 53 exhibits extensive damage, these dimensions are most likely prone to much error in reconstruction. In areas of well-preserved bone, Stw 53 shares many cranial features with Homo habilis, and we propose retaining it within this species. We also consider the affinities of dental remains from Sterkfontein Member 5, along with those from Swartkrans and Drimolen previously assigned to Homo. We find evidence for sympatry of H. habilis and Australopithecus robustus and possibly Plio-Pleistocene Homo sapiens sensu lato in Sterkfontein Member 5. At Swartkrans and Drimolen, we find evidence of H. habilis. We also compare the morphologies of Stw 53 and SK 847 and find compelling evidence to assign the latter specimen to H. habilis, as has been proposed.

  13. Track and vertex reconstruction in the ATLAS experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lacuesta, V

    2013-01-01

    The track and vertex reconstruction algorithms of the ATLAS Inner Detector have demonstrated excellent performance in the early data from the LHC. However, the rapidly increasing number of interactions per bunch crossing introduces new challenges both in computational aspects and physics performance. The combination of both silicon and gas based detectors provides high precision impact parameter and momentum measurement of charged particles, with high efficiency and small fake rate. Vertex reconstruction is used to identify with high efficiency the hard scattering process and to measure the amount of pile-up interactions, both aspects are crucial for many physics analyses. The performance of track and vertex reconstruction efficiency and resolution achieved in the 2011 and 2012 data-taking period are presented.

  14. Track and Vertex Reconstruction in the ATLAS Experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Lacuesta, V; The ATLAS collaboration

    2012-01-01

    The track and vertex reconstruction algorithms of the ATLAS Inner Detector have demonstrated excellent performance in the early data from the LHC. However, the rapidly increas- ing number of interactions per bunch crossing introduces new challenges both in computational aspects and physics performance. The combination of both silicon and gas based detectors provides high precision impact parameter and momentum measurement of charged particles, with high efficiency and small fake rate. Vertex reconstruction is used to identify with high efficiency the hard scattering process and to measure the amount of pile-up interactions, both aspects are cru- cial for many physics analyses. The performance of track and vertex reconstruction efficiency and resolution achieved in the 2011 and 2012 data-taking period are presented.

  15. Track and Vertex Reconstruction in the ATLAS Experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Lacuesta, V; The ATLAS collaboration

    2012-01-01

    The track and vertex reconstruction algorithms of the ATLAS Inner Detector have demonstrated excellent performance in the early data from the LHC. However, the rapidly increas- ing number of interactions per bunch crossing introduces new challenges both in computational aspects and physics performance. The combination of both silicon and gas based detectors pro- vides high precision impact parameter and momentum measurement of charged particles, with high efficiency and small fake rate. Vertex reconstruction is used to identify with high efficiency the hard scattering process and to measure the amount of pile-up interactions, both aspects are cru- cial for many physics analyses. The performance of track and vertex reconstruction efficiency and resolution achieved in the 2011 and 2012 data-taking period are presented.

  16. Orbital floor reconstruction using a tensor fascia lata sling after total maxillectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Bok Ki; Yun, In Sik; Lee, Won Jai; Lew, Dae Hyun; Choi, Eun Chang; Lee, Dong Won

    2016-05-01

    Reconstruction after total maxillectomy with extensive orbital floor defects poses a significant challenge for the reconstruction. The aim of this study is to present the outcomes of orbital floor reconstruction using tensor fascia lata slings after total maxillectomy and to compare these results to orbital floor reconstruction using alloplastic implants. This was a retrospective analysis of 19 consecutive patients who underwent tumor resection with orbital floor removal for malignancies. Reconstructions were performed using either tensor fascia lata slings (Group A) or alloplastic implants (Group B). The early and late postoperative outcomes such as wound infection, plate exposure, ectropion, diplopia, and enophthalmos, were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Patients in group A had significantly less wound complication than in group B (p < 0.05). In group A, there were no early or late wound complications after the operation. However, in group B, five patients had infection, the plate was exposed in eight of fourteen patients, and three patients had enophthalmos. Eight patients in group B underwent reoperation to correct their complications. Reconstruction of the orbital floor with a tensor fascia lata sling offers reliable support to the globe and prevents the ophthalmic complications associated with loss of orbital support. Copyright © 2016 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Possibilities of reconstruction and implant-prosthetic rehabilitation following mandible resection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konstantinović Vitomir S.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Mandible reconstruction is still very challenging for surgeons. Mandible defects could be the consequence of ablative surgery for malignancies, huge jaw cysts, infection and trauma. Segmental resection of the mandible may compromise orofacial function and often lead to patients psychological disorders. Despite very frequent use of microvascular flaps, autogenous bone grafts are still very reliable technique for mandible reconstruction. Comprehensive therapy means not only mandible reconstruction, but prosthodontic rehabilitation supported by dental implants, which can significantly improve patients quality of life. The aim of this paper was to evaluate possible techniques of mandible reconstruction and to present a patient who had been submitted to mandible resection and reconstruction with autogenous iliac bone graft and prosthodontic rehabilitation with fixed denture anchoraged by disc-shaped implants in early loading protocol. Case report. Mandible reconstruction was performed simultaneously with resection. Autogenous iliac bone graft was taken, reshaped and placed in two parts, to the required optimal contour of the mandible. After graft consolidation, decision was made for prosthodontics rehabilitation with fixed dentures supported by implants. In addition to the standard preoperative procedures, planning was done based on a biomodel gained by rapid prototyping after CT scan. It offered a real 3D planning to obtain a proper shape, dimension and the position of implants. Conclusion. If bone dimensions of a reconstructed mandible are insufficient, like in the presented case, the use of basal osseointegrated implants may be a method of choice. Avoiding bone augmentation procedures, as well as early loading protocol for this type of implants, shorten the total rehabilitation time, which is very convenient for patients. Fixed denture supported by dental implants is the best solution for comprehensive rehabilitation after mandible

  18. A Multifactorial Analysis of Reconstruction Methods Applied After Total Gastrectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oktay Büyükaşık

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reconstruction methods applied after total gastrectomy in terms of postoperative symptomology and nutrition. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 31 patients who underwent total gastrectomy due to gastric cancer in 2. Clinic of General Surgery, SSK Ankara Training Hospital. 6 different reconstruction methods were used and analyzed in terms of age, sex and postoperative complications. One from esophagus and two biopsy specimens from jejunum were taken through upper gastrointestinal endoscopy from all cases, and late period morphological and microbiological changes were examined. Postoperative weight change, dumping symptoms, reflux esophagitis, solid/liquid dysphagia, early satiety, postprandial pain, diarrhea and anorexia were assessed. Results: Of 31 patients,18 were males and 13 females; the youngest one was 33 years old, while the oldest- 69 years old. It was found that reconstruction without pouch was performed in 22 cases and with pouch in 9 cases. Early satiety, postprandial pain, dumping symptoms, diarrhea and anemia were found most commonly in cases with reconstruction without pouch. The rate of bacterial colonization of the jejunal mucosa was identical in both groups. Reflux esophagitis was most commonly seen in omega esophagojejunostomy (EJ, while the least-in Roux-en-Y, Tooley and Tanner 19 EJ. Conclusion: Reconstruction with pouch performed after total gastrectomy is still a preferable method. (The Medical Bulletin of Haseki 2010; 48:126-31

  19. Intraspecies variation in a widely distributed tree species regulates the responses of soil microbiome to different temperature regimes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Cui-Jing; Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Drake, John E; Reich, Peter B; Tjoelker, Mark G; Tissue, David T; Wang, Jun-Tao; He, Ji-Zheng; Singh, Brajesh K

    2018-04-01

    Plant characteristics in different provenances within a single species may vary in response to climate change, which might alter soil microbial communities and ecosystem functions. We conducted a glasshouse experiment and grew seedlings of three provenances (temperate, subtropical and tropical origins) of a tree species (i.e., Eucalyptus tereticornis) at different growth temperatures (18, 21.5, 25, 28.5, 32 and 35.5°C) for 54 days. At the end of the experiment, bacterial and fungal community composition, diversity and abundance were characterized. Measured soil functions included surrogates of microbial respiration, enzyme activities and nutrient cycling. Using Permutation multivariate analysis of variance (PerMANOVA) and network analysis, we found that the identity of tree provenances regulated both structure and function of soil microbiomes. In some cases, tree provenances substantially affected the response of microbial communities to the temperature treatments. For example, we found significant interactions of temperature and tree provenance on bacterial community and relative abundances of Chloroflexi and Zygomycota, and inorganic nitrogen. Microbial abundance was altered in response to increasing temperature, but was not affected by tree provenances. Our study provides novel evidence that even a small variation in biotic components (i.e., intraspecies tree variation) can significantly influence the response of soil microbial community composition and specific soil functions to global warming. © 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. RECONSTRUCTING THE SOLAR WIND FROM ITS EARLY HISTORY TO CURRENT EPOCH

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Airapetian, Vladimir S.; Usmanov, Arcadi V., E-mail: vladimir.airapetian@nasa.gov, E-mail: avusmanov@gmail.com [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)

    2016-02-01

    Stellar winds from active solar-type stars can play a crucial role in removal of stellar angular momentum and erosion of planetary atmospheres. However, major wind properties except for mass-loss rates cannot be directly derived from observations. We employed a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic Alfvén wave driven solar wind model, ALF3D, to reconstruct the solar wind parameters including the mass-loss rate, terminal velocity, and wind temperature at 0.7, 2, and 4.65 Gyr. Our model treats the wind thermal electrons, protons, and pickup protons as separate fluids and incorporates turbulence transport, eddy viscosity, turbulent resistivity, and turbulent heating to properly describe proton and electron temperatures of the solar wind. To study the evolution of the solar wind, we specified three input model parameters, the plasma density, Alfvén wave amplitude, and the strength of the dipole magnetic field at the wind base for each of three solar wind evolution models that are consistent with observational constrains. Our model results show that the velocity of the paleo solar wind was twice as fast, ∼50 times denser and 2 times hotter at 1 AU in the Sun's early history at 0.7 Gyr. The theoretical calculations of mass-loss rate appear to be in agreement with the empirically derived values for stars of various ages. These results can provide realistic constraints for wind dynamic pressures on magnetospheres of (exo)planets around the young Sun and other active stars, which is crucial in realistic assessment of the Joule heating of their ionospheres and corresponding effects of atmospheric erosion.

  1. RECONSTRUCTING THE SOLAR WIND FROM ITS EARLY HISTORY TO CURRENT EPOCH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Airapetian, Vladimir S.; Usmanov, Arcadi V.

    2016-01-01

    Stellar winds from active solar-type stars can play a crucial role in removal of stellar angular momentum and erosion of planetary atmospheres. However, major wind properties except for mass-loss rates cannot be directly derived from observations. We employed a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic Alfvén wave driven solar wind model, ALF3D, to reconstruct the solar wind parameters including the mass-loss rate, terminal velocity, and wind temperature at 0.7, 2, and 4.65 Gyr. Our model treats the wind thermal electrons, protons, and pickup protons as separate fluids and incorporates turbulence transport, eddy viscosity, turbulent resistivity, and turbulent heating to properly describe proton and electron temperatures of the solar wind. To study the evolution of the solar wind, we specified three input model parameters, the plasma density, Alfvén wave amplitude, and the strength of the dipole magnetic field at the wind base for each of three solar wind evolution models that are consistent with observational constrains. Our model results show that the velocity of the paleo solar wind was twice as fast, ∼50 times denser and 2 times hotter at 1 AU in the Sun's early history at 0.7 Gyr. The theoretical calculations of mass-loss rate appear to be in agreement with the empirically derived values for stars of various ages. These results can provide realistic constraints for wind dynamic pressures on magnetospheres of (exo)planets around the young Sun and other active stars, which is crucial in realistic assessment of the Joule heating of their ionospheres and corresponding effects of atmospheric erosion

  2. Experience of a Reconstruction of "Archaeological" Costume

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Altynbekov Krym

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The article presents a reconstruction of “archaeological” costume restored by the Ostrov Krym Scientific Restoration Laboratory (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan by the finds uncovered from Early Iron Age graves. The authors examined organic remains of clothes from barrow no. 11 of Berel burial ground (4th – 3rd centuries BC located on the territory of the Kazakhstan Altai and undertook a partial reconstruction of several items: a fur coat, a headdress and two felt stockings. The accuracy of this reconstruction is confirmed by well-preserved analogues of synchronous Altai barrows on the territory of Russia and Mongolia, belonging to the Pazyryk culture. The article also describes a method by which undisturbed graves can be extracted as one (monolithic block and contains techniques for formation of such blocks in the dig and lab studies of “archaeological” costumes in such blocks, applied by the Ostrov Krym Laboratory.

  3. Reconstruction of Traumatic External Iliac Artery Dissection Due to Vascular Clamping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kırnap, Mahir; Özçelik, Ümit; Akdur, Aydıncan; Ayvazoğlu Soy, Ebru H; Işıklar, İclal; Yarbuğ Karakayalı, Feza; Moray, Gökhan; Haberal, Mehmet

    2017-10-31

    Traumatic external iliac artery dissection after renal transplant is a rare complication, but it should be urgently managed due to its devastating effects on graft and lower limb circulation. External iliac artery dissection is seen more in recipients with diabetes mellitus and comorbid disease. Recipients with external iliac artery dissection should be treated immediately by percutaneus angioplasty or surgical reconstruction. In this study, we reported the management of 2 kidney transplant cases with external iliac artery dissection due to vascular clamping of the artery. External iliac artery dissection was diagnosed by ultrasonography in both cases. After failed percutaneous interventional angioplasty, we reconstructed the external iliac artery dissection surgically and replaced the external iliac artery with polytetra-fluoroethylene grafts in both patients. Both patients were discharged with normal functioning grafts showing 0.9 and 0.8 mg/dL serum creatinine levels at month 3 posttransplant. Close monitoring of recipients after transplant is mandatory for early diagnosis and early management of external iliac artery dissection to prevent graft loss and preserve lower limb circulation. Routine Doppler ultrasonography is an inexpensive and useful tool for early diagnosis in cases of sudden cessation or decrease in urine. In cases of failed percutaneous interventional angioplasty, reconstruction with synthetic vascular grafts can be safely applied in external iliac artery dissection.

  4. Extant ape dental topography and its implications for reconstructing the emergence of early Homo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berthaume, Michael A; Schroer, Kes

    2017-11-01

    Dental topography reflects diet accurately in several extant and extinct mammalian clades. However, dental topographic dietary reconstructions have high success rates only when closely related taxa are compared. Given the dietary breadth that exists among extant apes and likely existed among fossil hominins, dental topographic values from many species and subspecies of great apes are necessary for making dietary inferences about the hominin fossil record. Here, we present the results of one metric of dental topography, Dirichlet normal energy (DNE), for seven groups of great apes (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus, Pan paniscus, Pan troglodytes troglodytes and schweinfurthii, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, Gorilla beringei graueri and beringei). Dirichlet normal energy was inadequate at differentiating folivores from frugivores, but was adequate at predicting which groups had more fibrous diets among sympatric African apes. Character displacement analyses confirmed there is substantial dental topographic and relative molar size (M 1 :M 2 ratio; length, width, and area) divergence in sympatric apes when compared to their allopatric counterparts, but character displacement is only present in relative molar size when DNE is also considered. Presence of character displacement is likely due to indirect competition over similar food resources. Assuming similar ecological conditions in the Plio-Pleistocene, the derived masticatory apparatuses of the robust australopiths and early Homo may be due to indirect competition over dietary resources between the taxa, causing dietary niche partitioning. Our results imply that dental topography cannot be used to predict dietary categories in fossil hominins without consideration of ecological factors, such as dietary and geographic overlap. In addition, our results may open new avenues for understanding the community compositions of early hominins and the formation of specific ecological niches among hominin taxa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

  5. Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System Failures in Repair of Grade V Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin K.-H. Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System® (LARS® represents a popular synthetic anatomical reduction method for acromioclavicular joint dislocation by means of coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction. To our knowledge, no early failure has been documented in the literature. We present two unusual cases of LARS failure, one at four months after implant and the other at three weeks, without obvious causes, requiring re-do reconstruction, and discuss potential contributory factors.

  6. Intraspecies differences in natural susceptibility to amphotericine B of clinical isolates of Leishmania subgenus Viannia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Franco-Muñoz

    Full Text Available Amphotericin B (AmB is a recommended medication for the treatment of cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis in cases of therapeutic failure with first-line medications; however, little is known about the in vitro susceptibility to AmB of clinical isolates of the subgenus Viannia, which is most prevalent in South America. This work aimed to determine the in vitro susceptibility profiles to AmB of clinical isolates of the species L. (V. panamensis, L. (V. guyanensis and L. (V. braziliensis. In vitro susceptibility to AmB was evaluated for 65 isolates. Macrophages derived from the U937 cell line were infected with promastigotes and exposed to different AmB concentrations. After 96 hours, the number of intracellular amastigotes was quantified by qPCR, and median effective concentration (EC50 was determined using the PROBIT model. The controls included sensitive strains and experimentally derived less sensitive strains generated in vitro, which presented EC50 values up to 7.57-fold higher than the values of the sensitive strains. The isolates were classified into groups according to their in vitro susceptibility profiles using Ward's hierarchical method. The susceptibility to AmB differed in an intraspecies-specific manner as follows: 28.21% (11/39 of L. (V. panamensis strains, 50% (3/6 of L. (V. guyanensis strains and 34.61% (9/26 of L. (V. braziliensis strains were classified as less sensitive. The latter subset featured three susceptibility groups. We identified Colombian isolates with different AmB susceptibility profiles. In addition, the capacity of species of subgenus Viannia to develop lower susceptibility to AmB was demonstrated in vitro. These new findings should be considered in the pharmacovigilance of AmB in Colombia and South America.

  7. Descriptive anatomy and three-dimensional reconstruction of the skull of the early tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari Jarvik, 1952.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porro, Laura B; Rayfield, Emily J; Clack, Jennifer A

    2015-01-01

    The early tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari is an iconic fossil taxon exhibiting skeletal morphology reflecting the transition of vertebrates from water onto land. Computed tomography data of two Acanthostega skulls was segmented using visualization software to digitally separate bone from matrix and individual bones of the skull from each other. A revised description of cranial and lower jaw anatomy in this taxon based on CT data includes new details of sutural morphology, the previously undescribed quadrate and articular bones, and the mandibular symphysis. Sutural morphology is used to infer loading regime in the skull during feeding, and suggests Acanthostega used its anterior jaws to initially seize prey while smaller posterior teeth were used to restrain struggling prey during ingestion. Novel methods were used to repair and retrodeform the skull, resulting in a three-dimensional digital reconstruction that features a longer postorbital region and more strongly hooked anterior lower jaw than previous attempts while supporting the presence of a midline gap between the nasals and median rostrals.

  8. Descriptive Anatomy and Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Skull of the Early Tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari Jarvik, 1952

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porro, Laura B.; Rayfield, Emily J.; Clack, Jennifer A.

    2015-01-01

    The early tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari is an iconic fossil taxon exhibiting skeletal morphology reflecting the transition of vertebrates from water onto land. Computed tomography data of two Acanthostega skulls was segmented using visualization software to digitally separate bone from matrix and individual bones of the skull from each other. A revised description of cranial and lower jaw anatomy in this taxon based on CT data includes new details of sutural morphology, the previously undescribed quadrate and articular bones, and the mandibular symphysis. Sutural morphology is used to infer loading regime in the skull during feeding, and suggests Acanthostega used its anterior jaws to initially seize prey while smaller posterior teeth were used to restrain struggling prey during ingestion. Novel methods were used to repair and retrodeform the skull, resulting in a three-dimensional digital reconstruction that features a longer postorbital region and more strongly hooked anterior lower jaw than previous attempts while supporting the presence of a midline gap between the nasals and median rostrals. PMID:25760343

  9. Intraspecies differences in cold hardiness, carbohydrate content and β-amylase gene expression of Vaccinium corymbosum during cold acclimation and deacclimation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jun Hyung; Yu, Duk Jun; Kim, Su Jin; Choi, Doil; Lee, Hee Jae

    2012-12-01

    Changes in cold hardiness, carbohydrate content and β-amylase gene expression were monitored in the shoots of the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars 'Sharpblue' and 'Jersey' during cold acclimation (CA) and deacclimation (DA). The seasonal patterns were similar in both cultivars, but the levels of cold hardiness determined by electrolyte leakage analysis were significantly different; 'Jersey' was hardier than 'Sharpblue'. Cold hardiness was closely related to total soluble sugar content (r = -0.98** and -0.99** for 'Sharpblue' and 'Jersey', respectively). In 'Jersey', more soluble sugars accumulated during CA. Of the detected soluble sugars, glucose, fructose and raffinose contents were significantly associated with cold hardiness in both cultivars. Sucrose was abundant in both cultivars, and stachyose content changed significantly during CA and DA. However, they were not associated with cold hardiness. A sharp decrease in starch contents in the middle of CA coincided with β-amylase gene (VcBMY) expression, indicating the conversion of starch into soluble sugars. During CA, VcBMY was expressed up to twofold higher in 'Jersey' than in 'Sharpblue'. These results suggest that intraspecies differences in the cold hardiness of highbush blueberries are associated with total soluble sugar content, which is driven partly by differential expression of VcBMY.

  10. OWN EXPERIENCE OF LASER THERAPY FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EARLY AND LATE RADIATION-INDUCED SKIN INJURIES IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER AFTER SIMULTANEOUS RECONSTRUCTIVE PLASTIC SURGERY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. I. Tkachev

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Low-energy laser radiation has a good anti-inflammatory and stimulating effect on the damaged tissues; therefore, it can be used for the prevention and treatment of both early and late radiation-induced skin injuries in patients receiving radiotherapy. So far, the effect of low-energy laser radiation in the prevention of radiation-induced skin damage remains poorly understood. This article presents a brief overview of the results obtained in the latest foreign studies as well as own experience of laser therapy for the prevention and treatment of both early and late radiation-induced skin injuries in patients with breast cancer after simultaneous reconstructive plastic surgery.

  11. Early integration of a bone plug in the femoral tunnel in rectangular tunnel ACL reconstruction with a bone-patellar tendon-bone graft: a prospective computed tomography analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Tomoyuki; Shino, Konsei; Nakagawa, Shigeto; Nakata, Ken; Iwahashi, Takehiko; Kinugasa, Kazutaka; Otsubo, Hidenori; Yamashita, Toshihiko

    2011-12-01

    The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate how early the bone plug was integrated into the rectangular femoral tunnel after anatomical ACL reconstruction using a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) graft via a rectangular tunnel (RT BTB ACL-R). Twenty consecutive patients who had undergone the reconstruction procedure were evaluated by CT scans at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively. In each scan, 30 slices for multiplanar reconstruction were collected parallel to the long axis of the parallelepiped femoral tunnel and perpendicular to the tendinous plane of the bone plug. Each slice was classified as "complete," indicating no visible gap between the plug and the tunnel wall or trabecular continuity or "incomplete," showing a visible gap. Bone plug-tunnel integration was evaluated as "excellent," "good," "fair," or "poor" for >20, 11-20, 5-10, and values at the anterior interface between the bone plug and the tunnel wall were also measured on both scans. The mean changes in CT value at 8 weeks were significantly lower than those at 4 weeks. This study shows that bone plug-femoral tunnel integration was almost complete by 8 weeks after surgery using RT BTB ACL-R.

  12. Complete Lower Lip Reconstruction with a Large Lip Switch Flap and a Composite Modiolus Advancement Flap

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gunnarsson, Gudjon L.; Demmissie, Meheret Beferkadu; Havemann, Ingemar

    2017-01-01

    Total loss of the lower lip is debilitating and poses a reconstructive challenge. Aiming to restore oral continence and function and also cosmetic appearance, a successful reconstruction has a huge impact on the quality of life for the individual patient. Early sources of local tissue rearrangement...

  13. Noise propagation in iterative reconstruction algorithms with line searches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qi, Jinyi

    2003-01-01

    In this paper we analyze the propagation of noise in iterative image reconstruction algorithms. We derive theoretical expressions for the general form of preconditioned gradient algorithms with line searches. The results are applicable to a wide range of iterative reconstruction problems, such as emission tomography, transmission tomography, and image restoration. A unique contribution of this paper comparing to our previous work [1] is that the line search is explicitly modeled and we do not use the approximation that the gradient of the objective function is zero. As a result, the error in the estimate of noise at early iterations is significantly reduced

  14. Quantitative tectonic reconstructions of Zealandia based on crustal thickness estimates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grobys, Jan W. G.; Gohl, Karsten; Eagles, Graeme

    2008-01-01

    Zealandia is a key piece in the plate reconstruction of Gondwana. The positions of its submarine plateaus are major constraints on the best fit and breakup involving New Zealand, Australia, Antarctica, and associated microplates. As the submarine plateaus surrounding New Zealand consist of extended and highly extended continental crust, classic plate tectonic reconstructions assuming rigid plates and narrow plate boundaries fail to reconstruct these areas correctly. However, if the early breakup history shall be reconstructed, it is crucial to consider crustal stretching in a plate-tectonic reconstruction. We present a reconstruction of the basins around New Zealand (Great South Basin, Bounty Trough, and New Caledonia Basin) based on crustal balancing, an approach that takes into account the rifting and thinning processes affecting continental crust. In a first step, we computed a crustal thickness map of Zealandia using seismic, seismological, and gravity data. The crustal thickness map shows the submarine plateaus to have a uniform crustal thickness of 20-24 km and the basins to have a thickness of 12-16 km. We assumed that a reconstruction of Zealandia should close the basins and lead to a most uniform crustal thickness. We used the standard deviation of the reconstructed crustal thickness as a measure of uniformity. The reconstruction of the Campbell Plateau area shows that the amount of extension in the Bounty Trough and the Great South Basin is far smaller than previously thought. Our results indicate that the extension of the Bounty Trough and Great South Basin occurred simultaneously.

  15. Psychological Aspects of Recovery Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christino, Melissa A; Fantry, Amanda J; Vopat, Bryan G

    2015-08-01

    Recovery following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is an arduous process that requires a significant mental and physical commitment to rehabilitation. Orthopaedic research in recent years has focused on optimizing anterior cruciate ligament surgical techniques; however, despite stable anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions, many athletes still never achieve their preinjury ability or even return to sport. Psychological factors associated with patient perceptions and functional outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are important to acknowledge and understand. Issues related to emotional disturbance, motivation, self-esteem, locus of control, and self-efficacy can have profound effects on patients' compliance, athletic identity, and readiness to return to sport. The psychological aspects of recovery play a critical role in functional outcomes, and a better understanding of these concepts is essential to optimize the treatment of patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, particularly those who plan to return to sport. Identifying at-risk patients, encouraging a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, and providing early referral to a sports psychologist may improve patient outcomes and increase return-to-play rates among athletes. Copyright 2015 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

  16. Mastectomy Skin Necrosis After Breast Reconstruction: A Comparative Analysis Between Autologous Reconstruction and Implant-Based Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sue, Gloria R; Lee, Gordon K

    2018-05-01

    Mastectomy skin necrosis is a significant problem after breast reconstruction. We sought to perform a comparative analysis on this complication between patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction and patients undergoing 2-stage expander implant breast reconstruction. A retrospective review was performed on consecutive patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction or 2-stage expander implant breast reconstruction by the senior author from 2006 through 2015. Patient demographic factors including age, body mass index, history of diabetes, history of smoking, and history of radiation to the breast were collected. Our primary outcome measure was mastectomy skin necrosis. Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis between the 2 patient cohorts. The treatment patterns of mastectomy skin necrosis were then analyzed. We identified 204 patients who underwent autologous breast reconstruction and 293 patients who underwent 2-stage expander implant breast reconstruction. Patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction were older, heavier, more likely to have diabetes, and more likely to have had prior radiation to the breast compared with patients undergoing implant-based reconstruction. The incidence of mastectomy skin necrosis was 30.4% of patients in the autologous group compared with only 10.6% of patients in the tissue expander group (P care in the autologous group, only 3.2% were treated with local wound care in the tissue expander group (P skin necrosis is significantly more likely to occur after autologous breast reconstruction compared with 2-stage expander implant-based breast reconstruction. Patients with autologous reconstructions are more readily treated with local wound care compared with patients with tissue expanders, who tended to require operative treatment of this complication. Patients considering breast reconstruction should be counseled appropriately regarding the differences in incidence and management of mastectomy skin

  17. Identification of new single nucleotide polymorphism-based markers for inter- and intraspecies discrimination of obligate bacterial parasites (Pasteuria spp.) of invertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauchline, Tim H; Knox, Rachel; Mohan, Sharad; Powers, Stephen J; Kerry, Brian R; Davies, Keith G; Hirsch, Penny R

    2011-09-01

    Protein-encoding and 16S rRNA genes of Pasteuria penetrans populations from a wide range of geographic locations were examined. Most interpopulation single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in the 16S rRNA gene. However, in order to fully resolve all populations, these were supplemented with SNPs from protein-encoding genes in a multilocus SNP typing approach. Examination of individual 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed the occurrence of "cryptic" SNPs which were not present in the consensus sequences of any P. penetrans population. Additionally, hierarchical cluster analysis separated P. penetrans 16S rRNA gene clones into four groups, and one of which contained sequences from the most highly passaged population, demonstrating that it is possible to manipulate the population structure of this fastidious bacterium. The other groups were made from representatives of the other populations in various proportions. Comparison of sequences among three Pasteuria species, namely, P. penetrans, P. hartismeri, and P. ramosa, showed that the protein-encoding genes provided greater discrimination than the 16S rRNA gene. From these findings, we have developed a toolbox for the discrimination of Pasteuria at both the inter- and intraspecies levels. We also provide a model to monitor genetic variation in other obligate hyperparasites and difficult-to-culture microorganisms.

  18. Complications of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: MR imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Papakonstantinou, Olympia; Chung, Christine B.; Chanchairujira, Kullanuch; Resnick, Donald L. [Department of Radiology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA 92161 (United States)

    2003-05-01

    Arthroscopic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) using autografts or allografts is being performed with increasing frequency, particularly in young athletes. Although the procedure is generally well tolerated, with good success rates, early and late complications have been documented. As clinical manifestations of graft complications are often non-specific and plain radiographs cannot directly visualize the graft and the adjacent soft tissues, MR imaging has a definite role in the diagnosis of complications after ACL reconstruction and may direct subsequent therapeutic management. Our purpose is to review the normal MR imaging of the ACL graft and present the MR imaging findings of a wide spectrum of complications after ACL reconstruction, such as graft impingement, graft rupture, cystic degeneration of the graft, postoperative infection of the knee, diffuse and localized (i.e., cyclops lesion) arthrofibrosis, and associated donor site abnormalities. Awareness of the MR imaging findings of complications as well as the normal appearances of the normal ACL graft is essential for correct interpretation. (orig.)

  19. Complications of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: MR imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Papakonstantinou, Olympia; Chung, Christine B.; Chanchairujira, Kullanuch; Resnick, Donald L.

    2003-01-01

    Arthroscopic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) using autografts or allografts is being performed with increasing frequency, particularly in young athletes. Although the procedure is generally well tolerated, with good success rates, early and late complications have been documented. As clinical manifestations of graft complications are often non-specific and plain radiographs cannot directly visualize the graft and the adjacent soft tissues, MR imaging has a definite role in the diagnosis of complications after ACL reconstruction and may direct subsequent therapeutic management. Our purpose is to review the normal MR imaging of the ACL graft and present the MR imaging findings of a wide spectrum of complications after ACL reconstruction, such as graft impingement, graft rupture, cystic degeneration of the graft, postoperative infection of the knee, diffuse and localized (i.e., cyclops lesion) arthrofibrosis, and associated donor site abnormalities. Awareness of the MR imaging findings of complications as well as the normal appearances of the normal ACL graft is essential for correct interpretation. (orig.)

  20. Reconstructing the competitive dynamics of mixed-oak neighborhoods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eric K. Zenner; Daniel J. Heggenstaller; Patrick H. Brose; JeriLynn E. Peck; Kim C. Steiner

    2012-01-01

    The disparity between the potential for latent oak dominance within a stand and their region-wide decline in importance value raises questions about the competitiveness of oaks in early stand dynamics. We reconstructed tree height growth dynamics in mixed-species neighborhoods to determine if currently dominant oaks were ever shorter than their competitors and at what...

  1. Quantitative analysis of T2 relaxation times of the patellofemoral joint cartilage 3 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang-Wan Kim

    2018-01-01

    The Translational Potential of this Article: Little data has been reported on PFJ cartilage condition after ACL reconstruction. This study could help develop noninvasive diagnostic methods for detection of early PFJ cartilage degeneration after ACL reconstruction.

  2. A 1500-year reconstruction of annual mean temperature for temperate North America on decadal-to-multidecadal time scales

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trouet, V; Diaz, H F; Wahl, E R; Viau, A E; Graham, R; Graham, N; Cook, E R

    2013-01-01

    We present two reconstructions of annual average temperature over temperate North America: a tree-ring based reconstruction at decadal resolution (1200–1980 CE) and a pollen-based reconstruction at 30 year resolution that extends back to 480 CE. We maximized reconstruction length by using long but low-resolution pollen records and applied a three-tier calibration scheme for this purpose. The tree-ring-based reconstruction was calibrated against instrumental annual average temperatures on annual and decadal scale, it was then reduced to a lower resolution, and was used as a calibration target for the pollen-based reconstruction. Before the late-19th to the early-21st century, there are three prominent low-frequency periods in our extended reconstruction starting at 480 CE, notably the Dark Ages cool period (about 500–700 CE) and Little Ice Age (about 1200–1900 CE), and the warmer medieval climate anomaly (MCA; about 750–1100 CE). The 9th and the 11th century are the warmest centuries and they constitute the core of the MCA in our reconstruction, a period characterized by centennial-scale aridity in the North American West. These two warm peaks are slightly warmer than the baseline period (1904–1980), but nevertheless much cooler than temperate North American temperatures during the early-21st century. (letter)

  3. Quantitative analysis of commensal Escherichia coli populations reveals host-specific enterotypes at the intra-species level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smati, Mounira; Clermont, Olivier; Bleibtreu, Alexandre; Fourreau, Frédéric; David, Anthony; Daubié, Anne-Sophie; Hignard, Cécile; Loison, Odile; Picard, Bertrand; Denamur, Erick

    2015-08-01

    The primary habitat of the Escherichia coli species is the gut of warm-blooded vertebrates. The E. coli species is structured into four main phylogenetic groups A, B1, B2, and D. We estimated the relative proportions of these phylogroups in the feces of 137 wild and domesticated animals with various diets living in the Ile de France (Paris) region by real-time PCR. We distinguished three main clusters characterized by a particular abundance of two or more phylogroups within the E. coli animal commensal populations, which we called "enterocolitypes" by analogy with the enterotypes defined in the human gut microbiota at the genus level. These enterocolitypes were characterized by a dominant (>50%) B2, B1, or A phylogroup and were associated with different host species, diets, and habitats: wild and herbivorous species (wild rabbits and deer), domesticated herbivorous species (domesticated rabbits, horses, sheep, and cows), and omnivorous species (boar, pigs, and chickens), respectively. By analyzing retrospectively the data obtained using the same approach from 98 healthy humans living in Ile de France (Smati et al. 2013, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 79, 5005-5012), we identified a specific human enterocolitype characterized by the dominant and/or exclusive (>90%) presence of phylogroup B2. We then compared B2 strains isolated from animals and humans, and revealed that human and animal strains differ regarding O-type and B2 subgroup. Moreover, two genes, sfa/foc and clbQ, were associated with the exclusive character of strains, observed only in humans. In conclusion, a complex network of interactions exists at several levels (genus and intra-species) within the intestinal microbiota. © 2015 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Fournier gangrene: a review of 41 patients and strategies for reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shih-Yi; Fu, Ju-Peng; Wang, Chih-Hsin; Lee, Tzu-Peng; Chen, Shyi-Gen

    2010-06-01

    Fournier gangrene is an acute and potentially fatal infection of the scrotum, perineum, and abdominal wall. It is characterized by necrotizing fasciitis with loss of subcutaneous tissue and skin. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognosis and treatment effectiveness of this fulminant infectious disease. Forty-one patients were admitted to our hospital with the diagnosis of Fournier gangrene between January 1998 and December 2006. The patients' age, sex, predisposing factors, duration of symptoms and hospital stay, time to operation, size of the skin defect, bacteria isolated, treatment modalities, and outcomes were reviewed. The data were analyzed by chi2 analysis and Student t test. A P-value Fournier gangrene undergoing debridement and reconstructive procedure. Because of the fulminant course of Fournier gangrene, it may be difficult to design a prospective study. Fournier gangrene is a severe infectious disease with a high mortality rate. Early and aggressive debridement is a significant prognostic factor in the management of Fournier gangrene. Several reconstructive modalities are useful to correct the tissue defect. Early debridement and reconstructive surgery for wound coverage improve the quality of life.

  5. Descriptive anatomy and three-dimensional reconstruction of the skull of the early tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari Jarvik, 1952.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura B Porro

    Full Text Available The early tetrapod Acanthostega gunnari is an iconic fossil taxon exhibiting skeletal morphology reflecting the transition of vertebrates from water onto land. Computed tomography data of two Acanthostega skulls was segmented using visualization software to digitally separate bone from matrix and individual bones of the skull from each other. A revised description of cranial and lower jaw anatomy in this taxon based on CT data includes new details of sutural morphology, the previously undescribed quadrate and articular bones, and the mandibular symphysis. Sutural morphology is used to infer loading regime in the skull during feeding, and suggests Acanthostega used its anterior jaws to initially seize prey while smaller posterior teeth were used to restrain struggling prey during ingestion. Novel methods were used to repair and retrodeform the skull, resulting in a three-dimensional digital reconstruction that features a longer postorbital region and more strongly hooked anterior lower jaw than previous attempts while supporting the presence of a midline gap between the nasals and median rostrals.

  6. 4D-PET reconstruction using a spline-residue model with spatial and temporal roughness penalties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ralli, George P.; Chappell, Michael A.; McGowan, Daniel R.; Sharma, Ricky A.; Higgins, Geoff S.; Fenwick, John D.

    2018-05-01

    4D reconstruction of dynamic positron emission tomography (dPET) data can improve the signal-to-noise ratio in reconstructed image sequences by fitting smooth temporal functions to the voxel time-activity-curves (TACs) during the reconstruction, though the optimal choice of function remains an open question. We propose a spline-residue model, which describes TACs as weighted sums of convolutions of the arterial input function with cubic B-spline basis functions. Convolution with the input function constrains the spline-residue model at early time-points, potentially enhancing noise suppression in early time-frames, while still allowing a wide range of TAC descriptions over the entire imaged time-course, thus limiting bias. Spline-residue based 4D-reconstruction is compared to that of a conventional (non-4D) maximum a posteriori (MAP) algorithm, and to 4D-reconstructions based on adaptive-knot cubic B-splines, the spectral model and an irreversible two-tissue compartment (‘2C3K’) model. 4D reconstructions were carried out using a nested-MAP algorithm including spatial and temporal roughness penalties. The algorithms were tested using Monte-Carlo simulated scanner data, generated for a digital thoracic phantom with uptake kinetics based on a dynamic [18F]-Fluromisonidazole scan of a non-small cell lung cancer patient. For every algorithm, parametric maps were calculated by fitting each voxel TAC within a sub-region of the reconstructed images with the 2C3K model. Compared to conventional MAP reconstruction, spline-residue-based 4D reconstruction achieved  >50% improvements for five of the eight combinations of the four kinetics parameters for which parametric maps were created with the bias and noise measures used to analyse them, and produced better results for 5/8 combinations than any of the other reconstruction algorithms studied, while spectral model-based 4D reconstruction produced the best results for 2/8. 2C3K model-based 4D reconstruction generated

  7. [3D bioprinting of cartilage: challenges concerning the reconstruction of a burned ear].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visscher, Dafydd O; Bos, Ernst J; van Zuijlen, Paul P M

    2015-01-01

    Reconstruction of a severely maimed ear is a major challenge. The ear is highly flexible yet tough, and has a very complex three-dimensional shape. Reconstruction of a patient's burned ear is even more complex due to surrounding tissue damage. Not only does this hamper reconstruction options, it also increases the likelihood of issues when using synthetic implant materials. In such cases, rib cartilage is the preferred option, but this tissue has practical limitations too. For these reasons, tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting may have the potential to create personalized cartilage implants for burns patients. However, 3D bioprinting is a tool to facilitate the reconstruction, and not by itself the Holy Grail. The clinical application of this technique is still at a very early stage. Nevertheless, we expect that 3D bioprinting can be utilised for facial reconstruction following burns come 2020.

  8. Accelerated Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Early Knee Osteoarthritis Features at 1 Year: An Exploratory Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culvenor, Adam G; Patterson, Brooke E; Guermazi, Ali; Morris, Hayden G; Whitehead, Timothy S; Crossley, Kay M

    2018-04-01

    A timely return to competitive sport is a primary goal of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). It is not known whether an accelerated return to sport increases the risk of early-onset knee osteoarthritis (KOA). To determine whether an accelerated return to sport post-ACLR (ie, relationship between an accelerated return to sport and early KOA features stratified by type of ACL injury (isolated or concurrent chondral/meniscal injury) and lower limb function (good or poor). Cross-sectional study. Private radiology clinic and university laboratory. A total of 111 participants (71 male; mean age 30 ± 8 years) 1-year post-ACLR. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire regarding postoperative return-to-sport data (specific sport, postoperative month first returned), and isotropic 3-T MRI scans were obtained. Early KOA features (bone marrow, cartilage and meniscal lesions, and osteophytes) assessed with the MRI OA Knee Score. Logistic regression analyses evaluated the odds of early KOA features with an accelerated return to sport (return to sport) in the total cohort and stratified by type of ACL injury and lower limb function. Forty-six (41%) participants returned to competitive sport return to sport was associated with significantly increased odds of bone marrow lesions (odds ratio [OR] 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-6.0) but not cartilage (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.5-2.6) or meniscal lesions (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.4-1.8) or osteophytes (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-1.4). In those with poor lower limb function, early return to sport exacerbated the odds of bone marrow lesions (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.6-13.5), whereas stratified analyses for type of ACL injury did not reach statistical significance. An accelerated return to sport, particularly in the presence of poor lower limb function, may be implicated in posttraumatic KOA development. IV. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Mandibular reconstruction using bone allografts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang Joon Yim

    1999-01-01

    . Combinations of allografts and autografts for mandibular reconstruction have enjoyed great success since their introduction in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Due to its high osteogenic potential, marrow and cancellous bone was used for reconstruction of the mandible. For reconstruction of large defects, surgeons used a scaffold to support the cancellous bone. This practice led to the use of allogeneic bone crib in which the cancellous bone could be packed. Reconstruction of the mandible by this combination is now very commonplace

  10. Single-stage soft tissue reconstruction and orbital fracture repair for complex facial injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Peng Sen; Matoo, Reshvin; Sun, Hong; Song, Li Yuan; Kikkawa, Don O; Lu, Wei

    2017-02-01

    Orbital fractures with open periorbital wounds cause significant morbidity. Timing of debridement with fracture repair and soft tissue reconstruction is controversial. This study focuses on the efficacy of early single-stage repair in combined bony and soft tissue injuries. Retrospective review. Twenty-three patients with combined open soft tissue wounds and orbital fractures were studied for single-stage orbital reconstruction and periorbital soft tissue repair. Inclusion criteria were open soft tissue wounds with clinical and radiographic evidence of orbital fractures and repair performed within 48 h after injury. Surgical complications and reconstructive outcomes were assessed over 6 months. The main outcome measures were enophthalmos, pre- and post-CT imaging of orbits, scar evaluation, presence of diplopia, and eyelid position. Enophthalmos was corrected in 16/19 cases and improved in 3/19 cases. 3D reconstruction of CT images showed markedly improved orbital alignment with objective measurements of the optic foramen to cornea distance (mm) in reconstructed orbits relative to intact orbits of 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] (lower 0.33, upper 0.99) mm. The mean baseline of Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale was 0.6, 95%CI (0.30-0.92), and for 6 months, the mean score was 3.4, 95%CI (3.05-3.73). Residual diplopia in secondary gazes was present in two patients; one patient had ectropion. Complications included one case of local wound infection. An early single-stage repair of combined soft tissue and orbital fractures yields satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes. Complications are low and likely related to trauma severity. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Unit Advancement Flap for Lower Lip Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogino, Akihiro; Onishi, Kiyoshi; Okada, Emi; Nakamichi, Miho

    2018-05-01

    Lower lip reconstruction requires consideration of esthetic and functional outcome in selecting a surgical procedure, and reconstruction with local tissue is useful. The authors reconstructed full-thickness defects with a unit advancement flap. Reconstruction was performed using this method in 4 patients with lower lip squamous cell carcinoma in whom tumor resection with preservation of the mouth angle was possible. The lower lip resection width was 30 to 45 mm, accounting for 50% to 68% of the entire width of the lower lip. The flap was prepared by lateral extension from above the mental unit and matched with the potential wrinkle line of the lower lip in order to design a unit morphology surrounded by the anterior margin of the depressor labii inferioris muscle. It was elevated as a full-thickness flap composed of the orbicularis oris muscle, skin, and mucosa of the residual lower lip from the bilateral sides, and advanced to the defect. Flap transfer was adjusted by small triangular resection of the skin on the lateral side of the mental unit. The postoperative scar was inconspicuous in all patients and there was no impairment of the mouth opening-closing or articulation functions. This was a relatively simple surgical procedure. A blood supply of the flap was stable, and continuity of the orbicularis oris muscle was reconstructed by transferred the residual lower lip advancement flap from the bilateral sides. The postoperative mouth opening-closing function was sufficient, and dentures could be placed from an early phase in elderly patients. The postoperative scar was consistent with the lip unit morphology, being esthetically superior. This procedure may be applicable for reconstruction of defects approximately 1/3 to 2/3 the width of the lower lip where the mouth angle is preserved.

  12. Application of iterative reconstruction in dynamic studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meikle, S.R.

    1998-01-01

    Full text: The conventional approach to analysing dynamic tomographic data (SPECT or PET) is to reconstruct projections corresponding to each time interval separately and then fit a suitable tracer kinetic model to the dynamic sequence (method 1 ) . This approach assumes that the tracer distribution remains static during any given time interval and, for practical reasons, filtered back-projection (FBP) is the preferred reconstruction algorithm. However, alternative approaches exist which lend themselves to iterative algorithms, such as EM. One approach is to fit the model directly to the projection data, followed by EM reconstruction of the parameter estimates (method 2). This requires that the tracer model can be expressed as a linear function of the unknown model parameters. A third alternative is to incorporate the tracer model into the reconstruction algorithm (method 3). Such an extension was described during the early development of the EM algorithm, referred to as the EM parametric image reconstruction algorithm (EM-PIRA). We have investigated these various strategies for analysing dynamic data and their relative pros and cons. Tracer modelling was performed using a general model, referred to as spectral analysis, which makes no restriction on the number of physiological compartments and satisfies the linearity requirement of method 2. A kinetic software phantom was created and used to test the convergence and noise properties of the different approaches. In summary, method 2 is the most practical as it reduces the number of reconstructions by at least an order of magnitude and provides improved signal-to-noise ratios compared with method 1. EM-PIRA allows greater flexibility in the choice of parametric images and appears to have a regularising effect on convergence. Methods 2 and 3 are also better suited to dynamic scanning with a rotating camera, as they can potentially account for changes in tracer distribution between projections

  13. Delaying ACL reconstruction and treating with exercise therapy alone may alter prognostic factors for 5-year outcome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Filbay, Stephanie R; Roos, Ewa M; Frobell, Richard B

    2017-01-01

    , body mass index, preinjury activity level, education and smoking. RESULTS: For all participants (n=118), graft/contralateral ACL rupture, non-ACL surgery and worse baseline 36-item Short-Form Mental Component Scores were associated with worse outcomes. Treatment with exercise therapy alone......AIM: Identify injury-related, patient-reported and treatment-related prognostic factors for 5-year outcomes in acutely ACL-ruptured individuals managed with early reconstruction plus exercise therapy, exercise therapy plus delayed reconstruction or exercise therapy alone. METHODS: Exploratory...... was a prognostic factor for less knee symptoms compared with early reconstruction plus exercise therapy (regression coefficient 10.1, 95% CI 2.3 to 17.9). Baseline meniscus lesion was associated with worse sport/recreation function (-14.4, 95% CI -27.6 to -1.3) and osteochondral lesions were associated with worse...

  14. Endoscopic-assisted linea alba reconstruction plus mesh augmentation (ELAR plus for treatment of umbilical and/or epigastric hernias and rectus abdominis diastasis – Early results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferdinand eKöckerling

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available IntroductionSymptomatic umbilical and/or epigastric hernias are often seen concomitantly with rectus abdominis diastasis (RAD, and suture repair of such defects has a high recurrence rate. In the literature there are reports of both endoscopic and open techniques for repair of symptomatic umbilical and/or epigastric hernias in association with RAD. This paper now reports on the early results of a hybrid technique used for reconstruction of the linea alba and mesh augmentation (ELAR plus.Material and methodsBetween 15 June 2015 and 31 January 2016, 40 patients with symptomatic umbilical and /or epigastric hernia and concomitant RAD underwent reconstruction of the linea alba using a hybrid technique involving a small umbilical incision and the use of video endoscopic equipment. The patients comprised 29 men and 11 women with a mean age of 53.6 years and mean BMI of 32.6. The mean operating time was 120 minutes. The mesh had a mean longitudinal extension of 18.6 cm and transverse extension of 9.1 cm. ResultsThirty-day follow-up results are available for all patients. Thirty-seven out of 40 patients (92.5 % experienced no postoperative complication. Two cases of discrete impaired umbilical wound healing and one seroma were successfully managed with conservative treatment. On 30-day follow-up, three out of 40 patients (7.5 % complained of intermittent pain on exertion, and two out of 40 patients (5 % still took painkillers when required.ConclusionEndoscopic-assisted linea alba reconstruction plus mesh augmentation (ELAR plus is a novel minimally invasive procedure for repair of symptomatic umbilical and/or epigastric hernias with concomitant RAD. Reconstruction of the linea alba via a minimally invasive access route is able to restore the normal anatomy of the abdominal wall.

  15. Trends in Revision Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in Professional Baseball Pitchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Alexander T; Pidgeon, Tyler S; Morrell, Nathan T; DaSilva, Manuel F

    2015-11-01

    To determine the frequency of revision elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction in professional baseball pitchers. Data were collected on 271 professional baseball pitchers who underwent primary UCL reconstruction. Each player was evaluated retrospectively for occurrence of revision UCL reconstructive surgery to treat failed primary reconstruction. Data on players who underwent revision UCL reconstruction were compiled to determine total surgical revision incidence and revision rate by year. The incidence of early revision was analyzed for trends. Average career length after primary UCL reconstruction was calculated and compared with that of players who underwent revision surgery. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for revision including handedness, pitching role, and age at the time of primary reconstruction. Between 1974 and 2014, the annual incidence of primary UCL reconstructions among professional pitchers increased, while the proportion of cases being revised per year decreased. Of the 271 pitchers included in the study, 40 (15%) required at least 1 revision procedure during their playing career. Three cases required a second UCL revision reconstruction. The average time from primary surgery to revision was 5.2 ± 3.2 years (range, 1-13 years). The average length of career following primary reconstruction for all players was 4.9 ± 4.3 years (range, 0-22 years). The average length of career following revision UCL reconstruction was 2.5 ± 2.4 years (range, 0-8 years). No risk factors for needing revision UCL reconstruction were identified. The incidence of primary UCL reconstructions among professional pitchers is increasing; however, the rate of primary reconstructions requiring revision is decreasing. Explanations for the decreased revision rate may include improved surgical technique and improved rehabilitation protocols. Therapeutic IV. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by

  16. Choice of reconstructed tissue properties affects interpretation of lung EIT images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grychtol, Bartłomiej; Adler, Andy

    2014-06-01

    Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) estimates an image of change in electrical properties within a body from stimulations and measurements at surface electrodes. There is significant interest in EIT as a tool to monitor and guide ventilation therapy in mechanically ventilated patients. In lung EIT, the EIT inverse problem is commonly linearized and only changes in electrical properties are reconstructed. Early algorithms reconstructed changes in resistivity, while most recent work using the finite element method reconstructs conductivity. Recently, we demonstrated that EIT images of ventilation can be misleading if the electrical contrasts within the thorax are not taken into account during the image reconstruction process. In this paper, we explore the effect of the choice of the reconstructed electrical properties (resistivity or conductivity) on the resulting EIT images. We show in simulation and experimental data that EIT images reconstructed with the same algorithm but with different parametrizations lead to large and clinically significant differences in the resulting images, which persist even after attempts to eliminate the impact of the parameter choice by recovering volume changes from the EIT images. Since there is no consensus among the most popular reconstruction algorithms and devices regarding the parametrization, this finding has implications for potential clinical use of EIT. We propose a program of research to develop reconstruction techniques that account for both the relationship between air volume and electrical properties of the lung and artefacts introduced by the linearization.

  17. Choice of reconstructed tissue properties affects interpretation of lung EIT images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grychtol, Bartłomiej; Adler, Andy

    2014-01-01

    Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) estimates an image of change in electrical properties within a body from stimulations and measurements at surface electrodes. There is significant interest in EIT as a tool to monitor and guide ventilation therapy in mechanically ventilated patients. In lung EIT, the EIT inverse problem is commonly linearized and only changes in electrical properties are reconstructed. Early algorithms reconstructed changes in resistivity, while most recent work using the finite element method reconstructs conductivity. Recently, we demonstrated that EIT images of ventilation can be misleading if the electrical contrasts within the thorax are not taken into account during the image reconstruction process. In this paper, we explore the effect of the choice of the reconstructed electrical properties (resistivity or conductivity) on the resulting EIT images. We show in simulation and experimental data that EIT images reconstructed with the same algorithm but with different parametrizations lead to large and clinically significant differences in the resulting images, which persist even after attempts to eliminate the impact of the parameter choice by recovering volume changes from the EIT images. Since there is no consensus among the most popular reconstruction algorithms and devices regarding the parametrization, this finding has implications for potential clinical use of EIT. We propose a program of research to develop reconstruction techniques that account for both the relationship between air volume and electrical properties of the lung and artefacts introduced by the linearization. (paper)

  18. Vascularized nerve grafts for lower extremity nerve reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terzis, Julia K; Kostopoulos, Vasileios K

    2010-02-01

    Vascularized nerve grafts (VNG) were introduced in 1976 but since then, there have been no reports of their usage in lower extremity reconstruction systematically. The factors influencing outcomes as well as a comparison with conventional nerve grafts will be presented.Since 1981, 14 lower extremity nerve injuries in 12 patients have been reconstructed with VNG. Common peroneal nerve was injured in 12 and posterior tibial nerve in 5 patients. The level of the injury was at the knee or thigh. Twelve sural nerves were used as VNG with or without concomitant vascularized posterior calf fascia.All patients regained improved sensibility and adequate posterior tibial nerve function. For common peroneal nerve reconstructions, all patients with denervation time less than 6 months regained muscle strength of grade at least 4, even when long grafts were used for defects of 20 cm or more. Late cases, yielded inadequate muscle function even with the use of VNG.Denervation time of 6 months or less was critical for reconstruction with vascularized nerve graft. Not only the results were statistically significant compared with late cases, but also all early operated patients achieved excellent results. VNG are strongly recommended in traction avulsion injuries of the lower extremity with lengthy nerve damage.

  19. Machine Learning and Parallelism in the Reconstruction of LHCb and its Upgrade

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Cian, Michel

    2016-11-01

    The LHCb detector at the LHC is a general purpose detector in the forward region with a focus on reconstructing decays of c- and b-hadrons. For Run II of the LHC, a new trigger strategy with a real-time reconstruction, alignment and calibration was employed. This was made possible by implementing an offline-like track reconstruction in the high level trigger. However, the ever increasing need for a higher throughput and the move to parallelism in the CPU architectures in the last years necessitated the use of vectorization techniques to achieve the desired speed and a more extensive use of machine learning to veto bad events early on. This document discusses selected improvements in computationally expensive parts of the track reconstruction, like the Kalman filter, as well as an improved approach to get rid of fake tracks using fast machine learning techniques. In the last part, a short overview of the track reconstruction challenges for the upgrade of LHCb, is given. Running a fully software-based trigger, a large gain in speed in the reconstruction has to be achieved to cope with the 40 MHz bunch-crossing rate. Two possible approaches for techniques exploiting massive parallelization are discussed.

  20. Machine Learning and Parallelism in the Reconstruction of LHCb and its Upgrade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cian, Michel De

    2016-01-01

    The LHCb detector at the LHC is a general purpose detector in the forward region with a focus on reconstructing decays of c- and b-hadrons. For Run II of the LHC, a new trigger strategy with a real-time reconstruction, alignment and calibration was employed. This was made possible by implementing an offline-like track reconstruction in the high level trigger. However, the ever increasing need for a higher throughput and the move to parallelism in the CPU architectures in the last years necessitated the use of vectorization techniques to achieve the desired speed and a more extensive use of machine learning to veto bad events early on. This document discusses selected improvements in computationally expensive parts of the track reconstruction, like the Kalman filter, as well as an improved approach to get rid of fake tracks using fast machine learning techniques. In the last part, a short overview of the track reconstruction challenges for the upgrade of LHCb, is given. Running a fully software-based trigger, a large gain in speed in the reconstruction has to be achieved to cope with the 40 MHz bunch-crossing rate. Two possible approaches for techniques exploiting massive parallelization are discussed

  1. Charged track reconstruction and b-tagging performance in ATLAS

    CERN Document Server

    Favareto, A; The ATLAS collaboration

    2012-01-01

    The ATLAS Inner Detector is designed to provide precision tracking informa- tion at LHC luminosities with a hermetic detector covering 5 units in pseudo- rapidity. It features a large silicon tracker subdivided into a pixel and a strip system for precise tracking and primary/secondary vertex reconstruction and to provide excellent b-tagging capabilities. A Transition Radiation Tracker improves the momentum reconstruction and provides electron identification information. The subject of these proceedings is the performance of the ATLAS Inner Detector achieved after its first 2 years of operation. The excellent detector performance and more than a decade of simulation studies provided a good basis for the commissioning of the offline track and vertex reconstruction. Early studies with cosmic events and the ever increasing amount of high quality p-p collision data allowed for rapid progress in understanding of the detector. Today the ATLAS Inner Detector approaches its design values in most relevant performance c...

  2. Video: two novel endoscopic esophageal lengthening and reconstruction techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perretta, Silvana; Wall, James K; Dallemagne, Bernard; Harrison, Michael; Becmeur, François; Marescaux, Jacques

    2011-10-01

    Esophageal reconstruction presents a significant clinical challenge in patients ranging from neonates with long-gap esophageal atresia to adults after esophageal resection. Both gastric and colonic replacement conduits carry significant morbidity. As emerging organ-sparring techniques become established for early stage esophageal tumors, less morbid reconstruction techniques are warranted. We present two novel endoscopic approaches for esophageal lengthening and reconstruction in a porcine model. Two models of esophageal defects were created in pigs (30-35 kg) under general anesthesia and subsequently reconstructed with the novel techniques. The first model was a segmental defect of the esophagus created by thoracoscopically transecting the esophagus above the gastroesophageal (GE) junction. The first reconstruction technique involved bilateral submucosal endoscopic lengthening myotomies (BSELM) with a magnetic compression anastomosis (MAGNAMOSIS™). The second model was a wedge defect in the anterior esophagus created above the GE junction through a laparotomy. The second reconstruction technique involved an inverted mucosal-submucosal sleeve transposition graft (IMSTG) that crossed the esophageal gap and was secured in place with a self-expandable covered esophageal stent. Both techniques were feasible in the pig model. The BSELM approach lengthened the esophagus 1 cm for every 2 cm length of myotomy. The myotomy targeted only the inner circular fibers of the esophagus, with preservation of the longitudinal layer to protect against long-term dilation and pouching. The IMSTG approach generated a vascularized mucosal graft almost as long as the esophagus itself. Emerging endoscopic capabilities are enabling complex endoluminal esophageal procedures. BSELM and IMSTG are two novel and technically feasible approaches to esophageal lengthening and reconstruction. Further survival studies are needed to establish the safety and efficacy of these techniques.

  3. Impact of Short Hepatic Vein Reconstruction in Living Donor Adult Liver Transplantation Using a Left Liver Plus Caudate Lobe Graft

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koji Mikami

    2010-01-01

    Conclusion: Although no definite advantage from the V1 reconstruction was demonstrated, hepatic vein reconstruction with a significantly-sized short hepatic vein might provide an additional margin of safety for marginally-sized liver grafts during the early phase of graft regeneration.

  4. [Cartilage tissue reconstruction by the polymer biomaterials--early macroscopic and histological results].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scierski, Wojciech; Polok, Aleksandra; Namysłowski, Grzegorz; Nozyński, Jerzy; Turecka, Lucyna; Urbaniec, Natalia; Pamuła, Elzbieta

    2009-09-01

    The surgical treatment of large cartilage defects in the region of head and neck is often impossible because of the atrophy of surrounding tissues and lack of suitable material for reconstruction. In the surgical treatment many of methods and reconstructive materials have been used. For many years the suitable synthetic material for the cartilage defects reconstruction has been searched for. Was to evaluate two different biomaterials with proper mechanical and biological features for the cartilage replacement. Two type of biomaterials in this study were used: resorbable polymer - poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) acting as a supportive matrix. A thin layer of sodium hyaluronate (Hyal) was also deposited on the surface as well in the pore walls of PLG scaffolds in order to provide biologically active molecules promoting differentiation and regeneration of the tissue. The studies were performed on the 50 animals--rabbits divided into 2 groups. The animals were operated in the general anaesthesia. The incision was done along the edge of the rabbit's auricle. Perichondrium and cartilage of the auricle on the surface 4 x 3 cm were prepared. Subperichondrically 1 x 1 cm fragment of the cartilage was removed by the scissors. This fragment was then replaced by the biomaterials: PLG in first group of 25 rabbits and PLG-Hyal in second group 25 rabbits. The tissues were sutured with polyglycolide Safil 3-0. The animals obtained Enrofloxacin for three days after the operation. Then 1, 4 and 12 weeks after the surgery the animals were painlessly euthanized by an overdose of Morbital. Implants and surrounding tissues were excised and observed macroscopically and using an optical microscope. In all the observation periods we observed proper macroscopic healing process of biomaterials. We didn't stated strong inflammatory process and necrosis around the implanted biomaterials. The histological and macroscopic examinations indicated that both materials developed in this study have

  5. Machine learning and parallelism in the reconstruction of LHCb and its upgrade

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00260810

    2016-01-01

    The LHCb detector at the LHC is a general purpose detector in the forward region with a focus on reconstructing decays of c- and b-hadrons. For Run II of the LHC, a new trigger strategy with a real-time reconstruction, alignment and calibration was employed. This was made possible by implementing an oine-like track reconstruction in the high level trigger. However, the ever increasing need for a higher throughput and the move to parallelism in the CPU architectures in the last years necessitated the use of vectorization techniques to achieve the desired speed and a more extensive use of machine learning to veto bad events early on. This document discusses selected improvements in computationally expensive parts of the track reconstruction, like the Kalman filter, as well as an improved approach to get rid of fake tracks using fast machine learning techniques. In the last part, a short overview of the track reconstruction challenges for the upgrade of LHCb, is given. Running a fully software-based trigger, a l...

  6. Mandibular reconstruction with composite microvascular tissue transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coleman, J.J. III; Wooden, W.A.

    1990-01-01

    Microvascular free tissue transfer has provided a variety of methods of restoring vascularized bone and soft tissue to difficult defects created by tumor resection and trauma. Over 7 years, 26 patients have undergone 28 free flaps for mandibular reconstruction, 15 for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth or tongue, 7 for recurrent tumor, and 6 for other reasons [lymphangioma (1), infection (1), gunshot wound (1), and osteoradionecrosis (3)]. Primary reconstruction was performed in 19 cases and secondary in 9. All repairs were composite flaps including 12 scapula, 5 radial forearm, 3 fibula, 2 serratus, and 6 deep circumflex iliac artery. Mandibular defects included the symphysis alone (7), symphysis and body (5), symphysis-body-ramus condyle (2), body or ramus (13), and bilateral body (1). Fourteen patients had received prior radiotherapy to adjuvant or curative doses. Eight received postoperative radiotherapy. All patients had initially successful vascularized reconstruction by clinical examination (28) and positive radionuclide scan (22 of 22). Bony stability was achieved in 25 of 26 patients and oral continence in 24 of 26. One complete flap loss occurred at 14 days. Complications of some degree developed in 22 patients including partial skin necrosis (3), orocutaneous fistula (3), plate exposure (1), donor site infection (3), fracture of reconstruction (1), and fracture of the radius (1). Microvascular transfer of bone and soft tissue allows a reliable reconstruction--despite previous radiotherapy, infection, foreign body, or surgery--in almost every situation in which mandible and soft tissue are absent. Bony union, a healed wound, and reasonable function and appearance are likely despite early fistula, skin loss, or metal plate or bone exposure

  7. Mandibular reconstruction with composite microvascular tissue transfer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coleman, J.J. III; Wooden, W.A. (Emory Univ. School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA (USA))

    1990-10-01

    Microvascular free tissue transfer has provided a variety of methods of restoring vascularized bone and soft tissue to difficult defects created by tumor resection and trauma. Over 7 years, 26 patients have undergone 28 free flaps for mandibular reconstruction, 15 for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth or tongue, 7 for recurrent tumor, and 6 for other reasons (lymphangioma (1), infection (1), gunshot wound (1), and osteoradionecrosis (3)). Primary reconstruction was performed in 19 cases and secondary in 9. All repairs were composite flaps including 12 scapula, 5 radial forearm, 3 fibula, 2 serratus, and 6 deep circumflex iliac artery. Mandibular defects included the symphysis alone (7), symphysis and body (5), symphysis-body-ramus condyle (2), body or ramus (13), and bilateral body (1). Fourteen patients had received prior radiotherapy to adjuvant or curative doses. Eight received postoperative radiotherapy. All patients had initially successful vascularized reconstruction by clinical examination (28) and positive radionuclide scan (22 of 22). Bony stability was achieved in 25 of 26 patients and oral continence in 24 of 26. One complete flap loss occurred at 14 days. Complications of some degree developed in 22 patients including partial skin necrosis (3), orocutaneous fistula (3), plate exposure (1), donor site infection (3), fracture of reconstruction (1), and fracture of the radius (1). Microvascular transfer of bone and soft tissue allows a reliable reconstruction--despite previous radiotherapy, infection, foreign body, or surgery--in almost every situation in which mandible and soft tissue are absent. Bony union, a healed wound, and reasonable function and appearance are likely despite early fistula, skin loss, or metal plate or bone exposure.

  8. Immediate Direct-To-Implant Breast Reconstruction Using Anatomical Implants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung-Eun Kim

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundIn 2012, a new anatomic breast implant of form-stable silicone gel was introduced onto the Korean market. The intended use of this implant is in the area of aesthetic breast surgery, and many reports are promising. Thus far, however, there have been no reports on the use of this implant for breast reconstruction in Korea. We used this breast implant in breast reconstruction surgery and report our early experience.MethodsFrom November 2012 to April 2013, the Natrelle Style 410 form-stable anatomically shaped cohesive silicone gel-filled breast implant was used in 31 breasts of 30 patients for implant breast reconstruction with an acellular dermal matrix. Patients were treated with skin-sparing mastectomies followed by immediate breast reconstruction.ResultsThe mean breast resection volume was 240 mL (range, 83-540 mL. The mean size of the breast implants was 217 mL (range, 125-395 mL. Breast shape outcomes were considered acceptable. Infection and skin thinning occurred in one patient each, and hematoma and seroma did not occur. Three cases of wound dehiscence occurred, one requiring surgical intervention, while the others healed with conservative treatment in one month. Rippling did not occur. So far, complications such as capsular contracture and malrotation of breast implant have not yet arisen.ConclusionsBy using anatomic breast implants in breast reconstruction, we achieved satisfactory results with aesthetics better than those obtained with round breast implants. Therefore, we concluded that the anatomical implant is suitable for breast reconstruction.

  9. Algebraic reconstruction techniques for spectral reconstruction in diffuse optical tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brendel, Bernhard; Ziegler, Ronny; Nielsen, Tim

    2008-01-01

    Reconstruction in diffuse optical tomography (DOT) necessitates solving the diffusion equation, which is nonlinear with respect to the parameters that have to be reconstructed. Currently applied solving methods are based on the linearization of the equation. For spectral three-dimensional reconstruction, the emerging equation system is too large for direct inversion, but the application of iterative methods is feasible. Computational effort and speed of convergence of these iterative methods are crucial since they determine the computation time of the reconstruction. In this paper, the iterative methods algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) and conjugated gradients (CGs) as well as a new modified ART method are investigated for spectral DOT reconstruction. The aim of the modified ART scheme is to speed up the convergence by considering the specific conditions of spectral reconstruction. As a result, it converges much faster to favorable results than conventional ART and CG methods

  10. Early breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dongen, J.A. van

    1989-01-01

    The therapy of early breast cancer has been changing during the last decennium. It requires a multi-disciplinary approach and in each of these disciplines improvements have been implemented. The result is that treatment schedules can now be adapted to specific subgroups. In this review early breast cancer is defined as operable disease, using the criteria set out by Haagensen. Emphasis is given to describing the new developments in prognostic criteria, since these form the basis for creating subgroups for specific treatment schedules. Distinction is made between the factors relating to growth rate and those relating to metastatic potential. Data on screening promises a beneficial effect of the implementation of screening in national health care programs. Important shifts are seen in treatment schedules; the place of postoperative radiotherapy after classic ablative treatment is being challenged, whereas it plays a major role in the new breast conserving therapy schedules. The data mentioned in the review suggest that a large proportion of 'operable' cases can be treated with breast conservation but details in the technique of breast conserving therapy are still under investigation. They form a major part of the coming prospective studies in breast cancer. Improvements in reconstruction techniques, creating better cosmetic results, make reconstruction more competitive with breast conserving therapy. The use of chemotherapy and endocrine manipulation in early breast cancer has now been clearly confirmed by the overview technique by the Peto-group, thanks to all efforts of individual trialists together. (orig.)

  11. The Functional Impact of Breast Reconstruction: An Overview and Update

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonas A. Nelson, MD

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available As rates of bilateral mastectomy and immediate reconstruction rise, the aesthetic and psychosocial benefits of breast reconstruction are increasingly well understood. However, an understanding of functional outcome and its optimization is still lacking. This endpoint is critical to maximizing postoperative quality of life. All reconstructive modalities have possible functional consequences. Studies demonstrate that implant-based reconstruction impacts subjective movement, but patients’ day-to-day function may not be objectively hindered despite self-reported disability. For latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction, patients also report some dysfunction at the donor site, but this does not seem to result in significant, long-lasting limitation of daily activity. Athletic and other vigorous activities are most affected. For abdominal free flaps, patient perception of postoperative disability is generally not significant, despite the varying degrees of objective disadvantage that have been identified depending on the extent of rectus muscle sacrifice. With these functional repercussions in mind, a broader perspective on the attempt to ensure minimal functional decline after breast surgery should focus not only on surgical technique but also on postoperative rehabilitation. Early directed physical therapy may be an instrumental element in facilitating return to baseline function. With the patient’s optimal quality of life as an overarching objective, a multifaceted approach to functional preservation may be the answer to this continued challenge. This review will examine these issues in depth in an effort to better understand postoperative functional outcomes with a focus on the younger, active breast reconstruction patient.

  12. Lower Lip Reconstruction after Tumor Resection; a Single Author's Experience with Various Methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rifaat, M.A.

    2006-01-01

    Background: Squamous cell carcinoma is the most frequently seen malignant tumor of the lower lip The more tissue is lost from the lip after tumor resection, the more challenging is the reconstruction. Many methods have been described, but each has its own advantages and its disadvantages. The author presents through his own clinical experience with lower lip reconstruction at tbe NCI, an evaluation of the commonly practiced techniques. Patients and Methods: Over a 3 year period from May 2002 till May 2005, 17 cases presented at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, with lower lip squamous cell carcinoma. The lesions involved various regions of the lower lip excluding the commissures. Following resection, the resulting defects ranged from 1/3 of lip to total lip loss. The age of the patients ranged from 28 to 67 years and they were 13 males and 4 females With regards to the reconstructive procedures used, Karapandzic technique (orbicularis oris myocutaneous flaps) was used in 7 patients, 3 of whom underwent secondary lower lip augmentation with upper lip switch flaps Primary Abbe (Lip switch) nap reconstruction was used in two patients, while 2 other patients were reconstructed with bilateral fan flaps with vermilion reconstruction by mucosal advancement in one case and tongue flap in the other The radial forearm free nap was used only in 2 cases, and direct wound closure was achieved in three cases. All patients were evaluated for early postoperative results emphasizing on flap viability and wound problems and for late results emphasizing on oral continence, microstomia, and aesthetic outcome, in addition to the usual oncological follow-up. Results: All flaps used in this study survived completely including the 2 free flaps. In the early postoperative period, minor wound breakdown occurred in all three cases reconstructed by utilizing adjacent cheek skin flaps, but all wounds healed spontaneously. The latter three cases Involved defects greater than 2

  13. Results of auricular helical rim reconstruction with post-auricular tube flap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iljin, Aleksandra; Lewandowicz, Edward; Antoszewski, Bogusław; Zieliński, Tomasz

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study was to present our experience with post-auricular tube flap (ptf) and clinical evaluation of the results following auricular helical rim reconstruction with this technique in patients after trauma. We analyzed the results in 12 patients who underwent three-staged auricular helical rim reconstruction with ptf following trauma in the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery between 2005-2014. The patients were followed-up for at least 1 year. We evaluated early and long-term results after surgery including plastic surgeon's and patient's opinion. Postoperative results were satisfactory (very good) in 10 cases, both in the opinion of the plastic surgeon and patients. Transient venous congestion of the helix occurred in two cases (16.6%). This complication did not have any influence on estimation of the results after surgery. Delayed wound healing in the poles of the reconstructed helical edge, as well as non-aesthetic helical scars with imperfections of helical rim, were seen in another two patients (16.6%). 1. Post-auricular tube flap reconstructions after helical rim trauma allowed for complete restoration of contour, size and orientation of the helix and the whole operated ear, which confirms the efficiency of the applied technique. 2. Reconstructive surgery with post-auricular tube flap in patients with auricular helical rim defects contributed to postoperative satisfaction in both patients and doctors' estimations.

  14. Identification of New Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-Based Markers for Inter- and Intraspecies Discrimination of Obligate Bacterial Parasites (Pasteuria spp.) of Invertebrates ▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauchline, Tim H.; Knox, Rachel; Mohan, Sharad; Powers, Stephen J.; Kerry, Brian R.; Davies, Keith G.; Hirsch, Penny R.

    2011-01-01

    Protein-encoding and 16S rRNA genes of Pasteuria penetrans populations from a wide range of geographic locations were examined. Most interpopulation single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in the 16S rRNA gene. However, in order to fully resolve all populations, these were supplemented with SNPs from protein-encoding genes in a multilocus SNP typing approach. Examination of individual 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed the occurrence of “cryptic” SNPs which were not present in the consensus sequences of any P. penetrans population. Additionally, hierarchical cluster analysis separated P. penetrans 16S rRNA gene clones into four groups, and one of which contained sequences from the most highly passaged population, demonstrating that it is possible to manipulate the population structure of this fastidious bacterium. The other groups were made from representatives of the other populations in various proportions. Comparison of sequences among three Pasteuria species, namely, P. penetrans, P. hartismeri, and P. ramosa, showed that the protein-encoding genes provided greater discrimination than the 16S rRNA gene. From these findings, we have developed a toolbox for the discrimination of Pasteuria at both the inter- and intraspecies levels. We also provide a model to monitor genetic variation in other obligate hyperparasites and difficult-to-culture microorganisms. PMID:21803895

  15. Paleomagnetic tests for tectonic reconstructions of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Woyla Group, Sumatra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Advokaat, Eldert; Bongers, Mayke; van Hinsbergen, Douwe; Rudyawan, Alfend; Marshal, Edo

    2017-04-01

    SE Asia consists of multiple continental blocks, volcanic arcs and suture zones representing remnants of closing ocean basins. The core of this mainland is called Sundaland, and was formed by accretion of continental and arc fragments during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. The former positions of these blocks are still uncertain but reconstructions based on tectonostratigraphic, palaeobiogeographic, geological and palaeomagnetic studies indicate the continental terranes separated from the eastern margin of Gondwana. During the mid-Cretaceous, more continental and arc fragments accreted to Sundaland, including the intra-oceanic Woyla Arc now exposed on Sumatra. These continental fragments were derived from Australia, but the former position of the Woyla Arc is unconstrained. Interpretations on the former position of the Woyla Arc fall in two end-member groups. The first group interprets the Woyla Arc to be separated from West Sumatra by a small back-arc basin. This back arc basin opened in the Late Jurassic, and closed mid-Cretaceous, when the Woyla Arc collided with West Sumatra. The other group interprets the Woyla Arc to be derived from Gondwana, at a position close to the northern margin of Greater India in the Late Jurassic. Subsequently the Woyla Arc moved northwards and collided with West Sumatra in the mid-Cretaceous. Since these scenarios predict very different plate kinematic evolutions for the Neotethyan realm, we here aim to place paleomagnetic constraints on paleolatitudinal evolution of the Woyla Arc. The Woyla Arc consists mainly of basaltic to andesitic volcanics and dykes, and volcaniclastic shales and sandstones. Associated limestones with volcanic debris are interpreted as fringing reefs. This assemblage is interpreted as remnants of an Early Cretaceous intra-oceanic arc. West Sumatra exposes granites, surrounded by quartz sandstones, shales and volcanic tuffs. These sediments are in part metamorphosed. This assemblage is interpreted as a Jurassic-Early

  16. One step linear reconstruction method for continuous wave diffuse optical tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ukhrowiyah, N.; Yasin, M.

    2017-09-01

    The method one step linear reconstruction method for continuous wave diffuse optical tomography is proposed and demonstrated for polyvinyl chloride based material and breast phantom. Approximation which used in this method is selecting regulation coefficient and evaluating the difference between two states that corresponding to the data acquired without and with a change in optical properties. This method is used to recovery of optical parameters from measured boundary data of light propagation in the object. The research is demonstrated by simulation and experimental data. Numerical object is used to produce simulation data. Chloride based material and breast phantom sample is used to produce experimental data. Comparisons of results between experiment and simulation data are conducted to validate the proposed method. The results of the reconstruction image which is produced by the one step linear reconstruction method show that the image reconstruction almost same as the original object. This approach provides a means of imaging that is sensitive to changes in optical properties, which may be particularly useful for functional imaging used continuous wave diffuse optical tomography of early diagnosis of breast cancer.

  17. Ribosomal DNA sequence heterogeneity reflects intraspecies phylogenies and predicts genome structure in two contrasting yeast species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Claire; James, Stephen A; Davey, Robert P; Dicks, Jo; Roberts, Ian N

    2014-07-01

    The ribosomal RNA encapsulates a wealth of evolutionary information, including genetic variation that can be used to discriminate between organisms at a wide range of taxonomic levels. For example, the prokaryotic 16S rDNA sequence is very widely used both in phylogenetic studies and as a marker in metagenomic surveys and the internal transcribed spacer region, frequently used in plant phylogenetics, is now recognized as a fungal DNA barcode. However, this widespread use does not escape criticism, principally due to issues such as difficulties in classification of paralogous versus orthologous rDNA units and intragenomic variation, both of which may be significant barriers to accurate phylogenetic inference. We recently analyzed data sets from the Saccharomyces Genome Resequencing Project, characterizing rDNA sequence variation within multiple strains of the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its nearest wild relative Saccharomyces paradoxus in unprecedented detail. Notably, both species possess single locus rDNA systems. Here, we use these new variation datasets to assess whether a more detailed characterization of the rDNA locus can alleviate the second of these phylogenetic issues, sequence heterogeneity, while controlling for the first. We demonstrate that a strong phylogenetic signal exists within both datasets and illustrate how they can be used, with existing methodology, to estimate intraspecies phylogenies of yeast strains consistent with those derived from whole-genome approaches. We also describe the use of partial Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, a type of sequence variation found only in repetitive genomic regions, in identifying key evolutionary features such as genome hybridization events and show their consistency with whole-genome Structure analyses. We conclude that our approach can transform rDNA sequence heterogeneity from a problem to a useful source of evolutionary information, enabling the estimation of highly accurate phylogenies of

  18. Laser speckle contrast imaging identifies ischemic areas on gastric tube reconstructions following esophagectomy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Milstein, D.M.J.; Ince, C.; Gisbertz, S.S.; Boateng, K.B.; Geerts, B.F.; Hollmann, M.W.; van Berge Henegouwen, M.I.; Veelo, D.P.

    2016-01-01

    Gastric tube reconstruction (GTR) is a high-risk surgical procedure with substantial perioperative morbidity. Compromised arterial blood supply and venous congestion are believed to be the main etiologic factors associated with early and late anastomotic complications. Identifying low blood

  19. Graft fixation in cruciate ligament reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, J; Weiler, A; Caborn, D N; Brown, C H; Johnson, D L

    2000-01-01

    Cruciate ligament reconstruction has progressed dramatically in the last 20 years. Anatomic placement of ligament substitutes has fostered rehabilitation efforts that stress immediate and full range of motion, immediate weightbearing, neuromuscular strength and coordination, and early return to athletic competition (3 months). This has placed extreme importance on secure graft fixation at the time of ligament reconstruction. Current ligament substitutes require a bony or soft tissue component to be fixed within a bone tunnel or on the periosteum at a distance from the normal ligament attachment site. Fixation devices have progressed from metal to biodegradable and from far to near-normal native ligament attachment sites. Ideally, the biomechanical properties of the entire graft construct would approach those of the native ligament and facilitate biologic incorporation of the graft. Fixation should be done at the normal anatomic attachment site of the native ligament (aperture fixation) and, over time, allow the biologic return of the histologic transition zone from ligament to fibrocartilage, to calcified fibrocartilage, to bone. The purpose of this article is to review current fixation devices and techniques in cruciate ligament surgery.

  20. Retrieving chronological age from dental remains of early fossil hominins to reconstruct human growth in the past.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, M Christopher

    2010-10-27

    A chronology of dental development in Pan troglodytes is arguably the best available model with which to compare and contrast reconstructed dental chronologies of the earliest fossil hominins. Establishing a time scale for growth is a requirement for being able to make further comparative observations about timing and rate during both dento-skeletal growth and brain growth. The absolute timing of anterior tooth crown and root formation appears not to reflect the period of somatic growth. In contrast, the molar dentition best reflects changes to the total growth period. Earlier initiation of molar mineralization, shorter crown formation times, less root length formed at gingival emergence into functional occlusion are cumulatively expressed as earlier ages at molar eruption. Things that are similar in modern humans and Pan, such as the total length of time taken to form individual teeth, raise expectations that these would also have been the same in fossil hominins. The best evidence there is from the youngest fossil hominin specimens suggests a close resemblance to the model for Pan but also hints that Gorilla may be a better developmental model for some. A mosaic of great ape-like features currently best describes the timing of early hominin dental development.

  1. Breast reconstruction after mastectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel eSchmauss

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Its surgical approach has become less and less mutilating in the last decades. However, the overall number of breast reconstructions has significantly increased lately. Nowadays breast reconstruction should be individualized at its best, first of all taking into consideration oncological aspects of the tumor, neo-/adjuvant treatment and genetic predisposition, but also its timing (immediate versus delayed breast reconstruction, as well as the patient’s condition and wish. This article gives an overview over the various possibilities of breast reconstruction, including implant- and expander-based reconstruction, flap-based reconstruction (vascularized autologous tissue, the combination of implant and flap, reconstruction using non-vascularized autologous fat, as well as refinement surgery after breast reconstruction.

  2. Breast reconstruction - implants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breast implants surgery; Mastectomy - breast reconstruction with implants; Breast cancer - breast reconstruction with implants ... harder to find a tumor if your breast cancer comes back. Getting breast implants does not take as long as breast reconstruction ...

  3. Transversus abdominis plane block reduces morphine consumption in the early postoperative period following microsurgical abdominal tissue breast reconstruction: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Toni; Ojha, M; Bagher, Shaghayegh; Butler, Kate; Srinivas, Coimbatore; McCluskey, Stuart A; Clarke, Hance; O'Neill, Anne C; Novak, Christine B; Hofer, Stefan O P

    2014-11-01

    The analgesic efficacy of the transversus abdominis plane peripheral nerve block following abdominal tissue breast reconstruction has not been studied in a randomized controlled trial. The authors conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 1:1 allocation, two-arm parallel group, superiority design, randomized controlled trial in patients undergoing microsurgical abdominally based breast reconstruction. Intraoperatively, epidural catheters were inserted under direct vision through the triangle of Petit on both sides of the abdomen into the transversus abdominis plane just before rectus fascial closure. Patients received either bupivacaine (study group) or saline (placebo group) through the catheters for 2 postoperative days. All patients received hydromorphone by means of a patient-controlled analgesic pump. The primary outcome was the difference in the parenteral opioid consumption on each postoperative day between the groups. The secondary outcome measures included the following: total in-hospital opioid; antinausea medication; pain, nausea, and sedation scores; Quality of Recovery Score; time to ambulation; and hospital stay duration. Between September of 2011 and June of 2013, 93 patients were enrolled: 49 received bupivacaine and 44 received saline. There were 11 postoperative complications (13 percent); none were related to the catheter. Primary outcomes were completed by 85 of 93 patients (91.3 percent); the mean parenteral morphine consumption was significantly reduced on postoperative day 1 in the bupivacaine group (20.7±20.1 mg) compared with 30.0±19.1 mg in the control group (p=0.02). There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes. Following abdominally based breast reconstruction, transversus abdominis plane peripheral nerve block is safe and significantly reduces morphine consumption in the early postoperative period. Therapeutic, II.

  4. Gender differences in the knee adduction moment after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webster, Kate E; McClelland, Jodie A; Palazzolo, Simon E; Santamaria, Luke J; Feller, Julian A

    2012-04-01

    The external knee adduction moment during gait has previously been associated with knee pain and osteoarthritis (OA). Recently, the knee adduction moment has been shown to be increased following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery and has been suggested as a potential mechanism for the progression of early onset knee OA in this population. No study has investigated the gender differences in gait biomechanics following ACL reconstruction. To examine gender differences in gait biomechanics following ACL reconstruction surgery. 36 subjects (18 females, 18 males) who had previously undergone ACL reconstruction surgery (mean time since surgery 20 months) underwent gait analysis at a self-selected walking speed. Males and females were well matched for age, time since surgery and walking speed. Maximum flexion and adduction angles and moments were recorded during the stance phase of level walking and compared between the male and female groups. The knee adduction moment was 23% greater in the female compared with the male ACL group. No gender differences were seen in the sagittal plane. No differences were seen between the reconstructed and contralateral limb. The higher knee adduction moment seen in females compared with males may suggest an increased risk for the development of OA in ACL-reconstructed females.

  5. Major League pitching workload after primary ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction and risk for revision surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, Robert A; Mehran, Nima; Marshall, Nathan E; Okoroha, Kelechi R; Khalil, Lafi; Tibone, James E; Moutzouros, Vasilios

    2017-02-01

    Literature has attempted to correlate pitching workload with risk of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury; however, limited data are available in evaluating workload and its relationship with the need for revision reconstruction in Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers. We identified 29 MLB pitchers who underwent primary UCL reconstruction surgery and subsequently required revision reconstruction and compared them with 121 MLB pitchers who underwent primary reconstruction but did not later require revision surgery. Games pitched, pitch counts, and innings pitched were evaluated and compared for the seasons after returning from primary reconstruction and for the last season pitched before undergoing revision surgery. The difference in workload between pitchers who did and did not require revision reconstruction was not statistically significant in games pitched, innings pitched, and MLB-only pitch counts. The one significant difference in workload was in total pitch counts (combined MLB and minor league), with the pitchers who required revision surgery pitching less than those who did not (primary: 1413.6 pitches vs. revision: 959.0 pitches, P = .04). In addition, pitchers who required revision surgery underwent primary reconstruction at an early age (22.9 years vs. 27.3 years, P risk for injury after primary UCL reconstruction. However, correlations of risk may be younger age and less MLB experience at the time of the primary reconstruction. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. Adaptive algebraic reconstruction technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Wenkai; Yin Fangfang

    2004-01-01

    Algebraic reconstruction techniques (ART) are iterative procedures for reconstructing objects from their projections. It is proven that ART can be computationally efficient by carefully arranging the order in which the collected data are accessed during the reconstruction procedure and adaptively adjusting the relaxation parameters. In this paper, an adaptive algebraic reconstruction technique (AART), which adopts the same projection access scheme in multilevel scheme algebraic reconstruction technique (MLS-ART), is proposed. By introducing adaptive adjustment of the relaxation parameters during the reconstruction procedure, one-iteration AART can produce reconstructions with better quality, in comparison with one-iteration MLS-ART. Furthermore, AART outperforms MLS-ART with improved computational efficiency

  7. Bartlett's concept of schema in reconstruction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wagoner, Brady

    2013-01-01

    dimensions in relation to embodied action and memory “reconstruction,” shows how these temporal dynamics are later abandoned by early cognitive “schema” theories which revert to the metaphor of storage, and explores strategies by which we might fruitfully bring schema back into psychology as an embodied...... an activity of “turning around upon schemata,” humans can create ruptures in their seamless flow of activity in an environment and take active control over mind and behavior. This paper contextualizes Bartlett’s concept of schema within broader theoretical developments of his time, examines its temporal...

  8. MR imaging appearances of soft tissue flaps following reconstructive surgery of the lower extremity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Magerkurth, Olaf [Dept. of Radiology, Hospital Baden, Baden (Switzerland); Girish, Gandikota; Jacobson, Jon A.; Kim, Sung Moon; Brigido, Monica; Dong, Qian; Jamadar, David A. [Dept. of Radiology, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor (United States)

    2015-02-15

    MR imaging appearances of different types of reconstructive muscle flaps following reconstructive surgery of the lower extremity with associated post-surgical changes due to altered anatomy, radiation, and potential complications, can be challenging. A multidisciplinary therapeutic approach to tumors allows for limb salvage therapy in a majority of the patients. Decision-making for specific types of soft tissue reconstruction is based on the body region affected, as well as the size and complexity of the defect. Hematomas and infections are early complications that can jeopardize flap viability. The local recurrence of a tumor within six months after a complete resection with confirmed tumor-free margins and adjuvant radiation therapy is rare. Identification of a new lesion similar to the initial tumor favors a finding of tumor recurrence.

  9. Reconstruction of action potential of repolarization in patients with congenital long-QT syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kandori, Akihiko; Shimizu, Wataru; Yokokawa, Miki; Kamakura, Shiro; Miyatake, Kunio; Murakami, Masahiro; Miyashita, Tsuyoshi; Ogata, Kuniomi; Tsukada, Keiji

    2004-01-01

    A method for reconstructing an action potential during the repolarization period was developed. This method uses a current distribution-plotted as a current-arrow map (CAM)-calculated using magnetocardiogram (MCG) signals. The current arrows are summarized during the QRS complex period and subtracted during the ST-T wave period in order to reconstruct the action-potential waveform. To ensure the similarity between a real action potential and the reconstructed action potential using CAM, a monophasic action potential (MAP) and an MCG of the same patient with type-I long-QT syndrome were measured. Although the MAP had one notch that was associated with early afterdepolarization (EAD), the reconstructed action potential had two large and small notches. The small notch timing agreed with the occurrence of the EAD in the MAP. On the other hand, the initiation time of an abnormal current distribution coincides with the appearance timing of the first large notch, and its end time coincides with that of the second small notch. These results suggest that a simple reconstruction method using a CAM based on MCG data can provide a similar action-potential waveform to a MAP waveform without having to introduce a catheter

  10. Oak Ridge Dose Reconstruction Project Summary Report; Reports of the Oak Ridge Dose Reconstruction, Vol. 7

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Widner, Thomas E.; email = twidner@jajoneses.com

    1999-01-01

    In the early 1990s, concern about the Oak Ridge Reservation's past releases of contaminants to the environment prompted Tennessee's public health officials to pursue an in-depth study of potential off-site health effects at Oak Ridge. This study, the Oak Ridge dose reconstruction, was supported by an agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the State of Tennessee, and was overseen by a 12-member panel of individuals appointed by Tennessee's Commissioner of Health. The panel requested that the principal investigator for the project prepare the following report, ''Oak Ridge Dose Reconstruction Project Summary Report,'' to serve the following purposes: (1) summarize in a single, less technical report, the methods and results of the various investigations that comprised the Phase II of the dose reconstruction; (2) describe the systematic searching of classified and unclassified historical records that was a vital component of the project; and (3) summarize the less detailed, screening-level assessments that were performed to evaluate the potential health significance of a number of materials, such a uranium, whose priority did not require a complete dose reconstruction effort. This report describes each major step of the dose reconstruction study: (1) the review of thousands of historical records to obtain information relating to past operations at each facility; (2) estimation of the quantity and timing of releases of radioiodines from X-10, of mercury from Y-12, of PCB's from all facilities, and of cesium-137 and other radionuclides from White Oak Creek; (3) evaluation of the routes taken by these contaminants through the environment to nearby populations; and (4) estimation of doses and health risks to exposed groups. Calculations found the highest excess cancer risks for a female born in 1952 who drank goat milk; the highest non-cancer health risk was for children in a farm family exposed to PCBs in and near East Fork Poplar Creek. More detailed

  11. [Use and versatility of titanium for the reconstruction of the thoracic wall].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Córcoles Padilla, Juan Manuel; Bolufer Nadal, Sergio; Kurowski, Krzysztof; Gálvez Muñoz, Carlos; Rodriguez Paniagua, José Manuel

    2014-02-01

    Chest wall deformities/defects and chest wall resections, as well as complex rib fractures require reconstruction with various prosthetic materials to ensure the basic functions of the chest wall. Titanium provides many features that make it an ideal material for this surgery. The aim is to present our initial results with this material in several diseases. From 2008 to 2012, 14 patients were operated on and titanium was used for reconstruction of the chest wall. A total of 7 patients had chest wall tumors, 2 with sternal resection, 4 patients with chest wall deformities/defects and 3 patients with severe rib injury due to traffic accident. The reconstruction was successful in all cases, with early extubation without detecting problems in the functionality of the chest wall at a respiratory level. Patients with chest wall tumors including sternal resections were extubated in the operating room as well as the chest wall deformities. Chest trauma cases were extubated within 24h from internal rib fixation. There were no complications related to the material used and the method of implementation. Titanium is an ideal material for reconstruction of the chest wall in several clinical situations allowing for great versatility and adaptability in different chest wall reconstructions. Copyright © 2013 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  12. Chimney Technique in Supra-Aortic Branch Reconstruction in China: A Systematic and Critical Review of Chinese Published Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yang; Shi, Yawei; Wang, Mian; Cui, Jin; Chen, Yitian; Zheng, Liang; Yin, Henghui; Chang, Guangqi

    2017-08-01

    The chimney graft (CG) technique has been proposed as a complete endovascular supra-aortic branch reconstruction for aortic pathologies. Due to the rapid growth of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in China, we aimed to investigate the current data of the CG technique in this most populous country. Studies of supra-aortic branch reconstruction using the CG technique from Chinese centers were collected and analyzed. A total of 294 patients from Chinese centers who underwent TEVAR with CGs were included. There were 301 CGs performed, with a technical successful rate of 97.7%. The rate of early type I endoleaks was 7.1%, and the patency rate of the CGs was desirable. Balloon-expandable bare CGs were significantly associated with good early outcomes and a low rate of endoleaks. Current data from China revealed positive outcomes using CGs for supra-aortic branch reconstruction. Balloon-expandable bare CGs may be the first choice according to the data available but should be considered with caution.

  13. Reconstructing Climate Change: The Model-Data Ping-Pong

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stocker, T. F.

    2017-12-01

    When Cesare Emiliani, the father of paleoceanography, made the first attempts at a quantitative reconstruction of Pleistocene climate change in the early 1950s, climate models were not yet conceived. The understanding of paleoceanographic records was therefore limited, and scientists had to resort to plausibility arguments to interpret their data. With the advent of coupled climate models in the early 1970s, for the first time hypotheses about climate processes and climate change could be tested in a dynamically consistent framework. However, only a model hierarchy can cope with the long time scales and the multi-component physical-biogeochemical Earth System. There are many examples how climate models have inspired the interpretation of paleoclimate data on the one hand, and conversely, how data have questioned long-held concepts and models. In this lecture I critically revisit a few examples of this model-data ping-pong, such as the bipolar seesaw, the mid-Holocene greenhouse gas increase, millennial and rapid CO2 changes reconstructed from polar ice cores, and the interpretation of novel paleoceanographic tracers. These examples also highlight many of the still unsolved questions and provide guidance for future research. The combination of high-resolution paleoceanographic data and modeling has never been more relevant than today. It will be the key for an appropriate risk assessment of impacts on the Earth System that are already underway in the Anthropocene.

  14. Experience with esthetic reconstruction of complex facial soft tissue trauma: application of the pulsed dye laser.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahimi, Ali; Kazemi, Hossein Mohammad; Nejadsarvari, Nasrin

    2014-08-01

    Facial soft tissue injury can be one of the most challenging cases presenting to the plastic surgeon. The life quality and self-esteem of the patients with facial injury may be compromised temporarily or permanently. Immediate reconstruction of most defects leads to better restoration of form and function as well as early rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to present our experience in management of facial soft tissue injuries from different causes. We prospectively studied patients treated by plastic surgeons from 2010 to 2012 suffering from different types of blunt or sharp (penetrating) facial soft tissue injuries to the different areas of the face. All soft tissue injuries were treated primarily. Photography from all patients before, during, and after surgical reconstruction was performed and the results were collected. We used early pulsed dye laser (PDL) post-operatively. In our study, 63 patients including 18 (28.5%) women and 45 (71.5%) men aged 8-70 years (mean 47 years) underwent facial reconstruction due to soft tissue trauma in different parts of the face. Sharp wounds were seen in 15 (23%) patients and blunt trauma lacerations were seen in 52 (77%) patients. Overall, 65% of facial injuries were repaired primary and the remainder were reconstructed with local flaps or skin graft from adjacent tissues. Postoperative PDL therapy done two weeks following surgery for all scars yielded good results in our cases. Analysis of the injury including location, size, and depth of penetration as well as presence of associated injuries can aid in the formulation of a proper surgical plan. We recommend PDL in the early post operation period (two weeks) after suture removal for better aesthetic results.

  15. Reconstructing Northern Hemisphere upper-level fields during World War II

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Broennimann, S. [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, PO Box 210092, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092 (United States); Luterbacher, J. [Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Bern (Switzerland); NCCR Climate, University of Bern, Bern (Switzerland)

    2004-05-01

    Monthly mean fields of temperature and geopotential height (GPH) from 700 to 100 hPa were statistically reconstructed for the extratropical Northern Hemisphere for the World War II period. The reconstruction was based on several hundred predictor variables, comprising temperature series from meteorological stations and gridded sea level pressure data (1939-1947) as well as a large amount of historical upper-air data (1939-1944). Statistical models were fitted in a calibration period (1948-1994) using the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis data set as predictand. The procedure consists of a weighting scheme, principal component analyses on both the predictor variables and the predictand fields and multiple regression models relating the two sets of principal component time series to each other. According to validation experiments, the reconstruction skill in the 1939-1944 period is excellent for GPH at all levels and good for temperature up to 500 hPa, but somewhat worse for 300 hPa temperature and clearly worse for 100 hPa temperature. Regionally, high predictive skill is found over the midlatitudes of Europe and North America, but a lower quality over Asia, the subtropics, and the Arctic. Moreover, the quality is considerably better in winter than in summer. In the 1945-1947 period, reconstructions are useful up to 300 hPa for GPH and, in winter, up to 500 hPa for temperature. The reconstructed fields are presented for selected months and analysed from a dynamical perspective. It is demonstrated that the reconstructions provide a useful tool for the analysis of large-scale circulation features as well as stratosphere-troposphere coupling in the late 1930s and early 1940s. (orig.)

  16. Collateral ligament reconstruction of the chronic thumb injury with bio-tenodesis screw fixation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gvozdenovic, Robert; Boeckstyns, Michel

    2014-01-01

    We describe a new technique for the reconstruction of chronic lesions of the collateral ligaments of the metacarpophalangeal ligaments of the thumb, using a Bio-Tenodesis screw for the fixation of a tendon graft in a triangular manner with proximal apex and allowing early mobilization, starting 2...

  17. Arthroscopic assisted tendon reconstruction for triangular fibrocartilage complex irreparable tears.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luchetti, R; Atzei, A

    2017-05-01

    We report our 11-year experience of performing arthroscopically assisted triangular fibrocartilage complex reconstruction in the treatment of chronic distal radio-ulnar joint instability resulting from irreparable triangular fibrocartilage complex injuries. Eleven patients were treated. Three skin incisions were made in order to create radial and ulna tunnels for passage of the tendon graft, which is used to reconstruct the dorsal and palmar radio-ulnar ligaments, under fluoroscopic and arthroscopic guidance. At a mean follow-up of 68 months all but one had a stable distal radio-ulnar joint. Pain and grip strength, Mayo wrist score, Disability of the Arm Hand and Shoulder and patient-rated wrist and hand evaluation scores improved. The ranges of forearm rotation remained largely unchanged. Complications included an early tendon graft tear, two late-onset graft ruptures, one ulna styloid fracture during surgery and persistent wrist discomfort during forearm rotation requiring tendon graft revision in one case. An arthroscopic assisted approach for triangular fibrocartilage complex reconstruction appears safe and produces comparable results with the open technique. IV.

  18. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cryopreserved Acellular Dermal Matrix in Immediate Expander-Based Breast Reconstruction: A Comparison Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    So-Young Kim

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundCGCryoDerm was first introduced in 2010 and offers a different matrix preservation processes for freezing without drying preparation. From a theoretical perspective, CGCryoDerm has a more preserved dermal structure and more abundant growth factors for angiogenesis and recellularization. In the current study, the authors performed a retrospective study to evaluate freezing- and freeze-drying-processed acellular dermal matrix (ADM to determine whether any differences were present in an early complication profile.MethodsPatients who underwent ADM-assisted tissue expander placement for two stage breast reconstruction between January of 2013 and March of 2014 were retrospectively reviewed and divided into two groups based on the types of ADM-assisted expander reconstruction (CGDerm vs. CGCryoDerm. Complications were divided into four main categories and recorded as follows: seroma, hematoma, infection, and mastectomy skin flap necrosis.ResultsIn a total of 82 consecutive patients, the CGCryoDerm group had lower rates of seroma when compared to the CGDerm group without statistical significance (3.0% vs. 10.2%, P=0.221, respectively. Other complications were similar in both groups. Reconstructions with CGCryoDerm were found to have a significantly longer period of drainage when compared to reconstructions with CGDerm (11.91 days vs. 10.41 days, P=0.043.ConclusionsPreliminary findings indicate no significant differences in early complications between implant/expander-based reconstructions using CGCryoderm and those using CGDerm.

  19. A new OH5 reconstruction with an assessment of its uncertainty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benazzi, Stefano; Bookstein, Fred L; Strait, David S; Weber, Gerhard W

    2011-07-01

    The OH5 cranium, holotype of Paranthropus boisei consists of two main portions that do not fit together: the extensively reconstructed face and a portion of the neurocranium. A physical reconstruction of the cranium was carried out by Tobias in 1967, who did not discuss problems related to deformation, although he noted a slight functional asymmetry. Nevertheless, the reconstructed cranium shows some anomalies, mainly due to the right skewed position of the upper calvariofacial fragment and uncertainty of the relative position of the neurocranium to the face, which hamper further quantitative analysis of OH5's cranial geometry. Here, we present a complete virtual reconstruction of OH5, using three-dimensional (3D) digital data, geometric morphometric (GM) methods and computer-aided design (CAD) techniques. Starting from a CT scan of Tobias's reconstruction, a semi-automatic segmentation method was used to remove Tobias's plaster. The upper calvariofacial fragment was separated from the lower facial fragment and re-aligned using superposition of their independent midsagittal planes in a range of feasible positions. The missing parts of the right hemiface were reconstructed using non-uniform rational basis-spline (NURBS) surface and subsequently mirrored using the midsagittal plane to arrive at a symmetrical facial reconstruction. A symmetric neurocranium was obtained as the average of the original shape and its mirrored version. The alignment between the two symmetric shapes (face and neurocranium) used their independent midsagittal plane and a reference shape (KNM-ER 406) to highly reduce their degrees of freedom. From the series of alternative reconstructions, we selected the middle of this rather small feasible range. When reconstructed as a range in this way, the whole cranial form of this unique specimen can be further quantified by comparative coordinate-based methods such as GM or can be used for finite element modeling (FEM) explorations of hypotheses about

  20. Climate during the Roman and early-medieval periods in North-western Europe: a review of climate reconstructions from terrestrial archives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichelmann, Dana F. C.; Gouw-Bouman, Marjolein T. I. J.; Hoek, Wim Z.; van Lanen, Rowin J.; Stouthamer, Esther; Jansma, Esther

    2016-04-01

    High-resolution palaeoclimate reconstructions are essential to identify possible influences of climate variability on landscape evolution and landscape-related cultural changes (e.g., shifting settlement patterns and long-distance trade relations). North-western Europe is an ideal research area for comparison between climate variability and cultural transitions given its geomorphological diversity and the significant cultural changes that took place in this region during the last two millennia (e.g., the decline of the Roman Empire and the transition to medieval kingdoms). Compared to more global climate records, such as ice cores and marine sediments, terrestrial climate proxies have the advantage of representing a relatively short response time to regional climatic change. Furthermore for this region large quantity of climate reconstructions is available covering the last millennium, whereas for the first millennium AD only few high resolution climate reconstructions are available. We compiled climate reconstructions for sites in North-western Europe from the literature and its underlying data. All these reconstructions cover the time period of AD 1 to 1000. We only selected data with an annual to decadal resolution and a minimum resolution of 50 years. This resulted in 18 climate reconstructions from different archives such as chironomids (1), pollen (4), Sphagnum cellulose (1), stalagmites (6), testate amoebae (4), and tree-rings (2). The compilation of the different temperature reconstructions shows similar trends in most of the records. Colder conditions since AD 300 for a period of approximately 400 years and warmer conditions after AD 700 become apparent. A contradicting signal is found before AD 300 with warmer conditions indicated by most of the records but not all. This is likely the result of the use of different proxies, reflecting temperatures linked to different seasons. The compilation of the different precipitation reconstructions also show similar

  1. Computed Tomography Image Quality Evaluation of a New Iterative Reconstruction Algorithm in the Abdomen (Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction-V) a Comparison With Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction, Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction, and Filtered Back Projection Reconstructions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodenberger, Martin H; Wagner-Bartak, Nicolaus A; Gupta, Shiva; Liu, Xinming; Yap, Ramon Q; Sun, Jia; Tamm, Eric P; Jensen, Corey T

    The purpose of this study was to compare abdominopelvic computed tomography images reconstructed with adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V (ASIR-V) with model-based iterative reconstruction (Veo 3.0), ASIR, and filtered back projection (FBP). Abdominopelvic computed tomography scans for 36 patients (26 males and 10 females) were reconstructed using FBP, ASIR (80%), Veo 3.0, and ASIR-V (30%, 60%, 90%). Mean ± SD patient age was 32 ± 10 years with mean ± SD body mass index of 26.9 ± 4.4 kg/m. Images were reviewed by 2 independent readers in a blinded, randomized fashion. Hounsfield unit, noise, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) values were calculated for each reconstruction algorithm for further comparison. Phantom evaluation of low-contrast detectability (LCD) and high-contrast resolution was performed. Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V 30%, ASIR-V 60%, and ASIR 80% were generally superior qualitatively compared with ASIR-V 90%, Veo 3.0, and FBP (P ASIR-V 60% with respective CNR values of 5.54 ± 2.39, 8.78 ± 3.15, and 3.49 ± 1.77 (P ASIR 80% had the best and worst spatial resolution, respectively. Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V 30% and ASIR-V 60% provided the best combination of qualitative and quantitative performance. Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction 80% was equivalent qualitatively, but demonstrated inferior spatial resolution and LCD.

  2. Communication tools for the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blazek, Mary Lou; Power, Max S.

    1992-01-01

    From 1944 to 1989, the U.S. Department of Energy produced plutonium at the Hanford Site in southeast Washington State. In the early days of operation, large amounts of radioactive materials were released to the environment. Documents about the releases were made public in 1986. The Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project began in 1987. The Project will determine how much radioactive material was released, how that material may have exposed people, and what radiation doses people may have received. The Project will be complete in 1995. The federal government pays for the work. The scientific work on the study is done by Battelle's Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Public credibility and valid science are equally important to those directing the dose reconstruction work. A number of tools are used to inform the public and encourage public participation. These tools are examined in this paper. (author)

  3. A systematic review of acelluar dermal matrices in head and neck reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shridharani, Sachin M; Tufaro, Anthony P

    2012-11-01

    The use of acellular dermal matrices has been well described in the scientific literature since the early 1990 s and has been utilized for multiple applications in the head and neck for both aesthetic and reconstructive efforts. After systematically searching the PubMed database and following further refinement (based on the authors' inclusion and exclusion criteria), the authors identified 30 studies that provided information about patients who had undergone head and neck reconstruction with the use of acellular dermal matrix. Studies had to report quantifiable objective results in patients who were older than 1 year and younger than 90 years. The authors excluded single case reports, studies with fewer than 10 patients, and studies not published in English. The optimal material used as an implant for reconstruction possesses the following properties: facilitation of vascular ingrowth, decreased propensity to incite inflammation, biologic inertness, resistance to infection, and ease of handling. Acellular dermal matrix possesses many of these properties and is utilized in reconstructing nasal soft tissue and skeletal support, tympanic membrane, periorbital soft tissue, extraoral and intraoral defects, oropharyngeal defects, dura mater, and soft-tissue deficits from parotidectomy. Furthermore, it is used to assist in preventing Frey syndrome following parotidectomy and surgical treatment of facial paralysis. Use of acellular dermal matrix for head and neck reconstruction has expanded exponentially and is validated in many studies. Further prospective randomized control trials are warranted to further investigate the efficacy of acellular dermal matrix in head and neck reconstruction.

  4. Nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction: cosmetic outcomes and technical refinements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salgarello, Marzia; Visconti, Giuseppe; Barone-Adesi, Liliana

    2010-11-01

    Nipple-sparing mastectomy is gaining widespread popularity, as it could allow improved aesthetic outcome without increasing oncologic risk. To investigate the reconstructive issues experienced with immediate implant reconstruction, the authors reviewed the cosmetic outcomes of their series. The authors retrospectively analyzed the data on 33 cases of nipple-sparing mastectomy for both cancer and prophylaxis with immediate implant reconstruction using the submusculo-subfascial pocket. Cosmetic evaluation methods were clinical and photography-based assessments and a patient-satisfaction survey. The average follow-up period was 26.8 months. No nipple-areola complex cancer involvement was registered. The reconstructive outcomes ranged from good to excellent in 83 percent of the cases. Patients' satisfaction was high to very high, except in one patient who experienced total nipple-areola complex loss (one breast, 2.4 percent). Overall, early minor complications were registered in four breasts (9.5 percent) and late minor complications in five cases (12 percent). The authors' series suggest that nipple-sparing mastectomy is an option for carefully selected and screened patients. Larger studies with longer follow-up are needed, however. On the whole, the immediate one-stage implant reconstruction with hyperprojected anatomical gel implants represents a valid option. The skin incision algorithm proposed, which is based on the breast size, shape, and previous scars, might aid in the decision-making process to achieve satisfying results using this procedure. The radial approaches represent a good compromise between the oncologic and reconstructive procedures.

  5. Reconstruction of the interaction term between dark matter and dark energy using SNe Ia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Solano, Freddy Cueva; Nucamendi, Ulises, E-mail: freddy@ifm.umich.mx, E-mail: ulises@ifm.umich.mx [Instituto de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edificio C-3, Ciudad Universitaria, CP. 58040, Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico)

    2012-04-01

    We apply a parametric reconstruction method to a homogeneous, isotropic and spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmological model filled of a fluid of dark energy (DE) with constant equation of state (EOS) parameter interacting with dark matter (DM)\\@. The reconstruction method is based on expansions of the general interaction term and the relevant cosmological variables in terms of Chebyshev polynomials which form a complete set orthonormal functions. This interaction term describes an exchange of energy flow between the DE and DM within dark sector. To show how the method works we do the reconstruction of the interaction function expanding it in terms of only the first six Chebyshev polynomials and obtain the best estimation for the coefficients of the expansion assuming three models: (a) a DE equation of the state parameter w = −1 (an interacting cosmological Λ), (b) a DE equation of the state parameter w = constant with a dark matter density parameter fixed, (c) a DE equation of the state parameter w = constant with a free constant dark matter density parameter to be estimated, and using the Union2 SNe Ia data set from ''The Supernova Cosmology Project'' (SCP) composed by 557 type Ia supernovae. In both cases, the preliminary reconstruction shows that in the best scenario there exist the possibility of a crossing of the noninteracting line Q = 0 in the recent past within the 1σ and 2σ errors from positive values at early times to negative values at late times. This means that, in this reconstruction, there is an energy transfer from DE to DM at early times and an energy transfer from DM to DE at late times. We conclude that this fact is an indication of the possible existence of a crossing behavior in a general interaction coupling between dark components.

  6. Jet mass reconstruction with the ATLAS Detector in early Run 2 data

    CERN Document Server

    The ATLAS collaboration

    2016-01-01

    This note presents the details of the ATLAS jet mass reconstruction for groomed large-radius jets. The jet mass scale calibrations are determined from Monte Carlo simulation. An alternative jet mass definition that incorporates tracking information called the track-assisted jet mass is introduced and its performance is compared to the traditional calorimeter-based jet mass definition. Events enriched in boosted $W$, $Z$ boson and top quark jets are used to directly compare the jet mass scale and jet mass resolution between data and simulation. This in-situ technique is also extended to constrain the jet energy scale and resolution.

  7. Low-dose X-ray CT reconstruction via dictionary learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Qiong; Yu, Hengyong; Mou, Xuanqin; Zhang, Lei; Hsieh, Jiang; Wang, Ge

    2012-09-01

    Although diagnostic medical imaging provides enormous benefits in the early detection and accuracy diagnosis of various diseases, there are growing concerns on the potential side effect of radiation induced genetic, cancerous and other diseases. How to reduce radiation dose while maintaining the diagnostic performance is a major challenge in the computed tomography (CT) field. Inspired by the compressive sensing theory, the sparse constraint in terms of total variation (TV) minimization has already led to promising results for low-dose CT reconstruction. Compared to the discrete gradient transform used in the TV method, dictionary learning is proven to be an effective way for sparse representation. On the other hand, it is important to consider the statistical property of projection data in the low-dose CT case. Recently, we have developed a dictionary learning based approach for low-dose X-ray CT. In this paper, we present this method in detail and evaluate it in experiments. In our method, the sparse constraint in terms of a redundant dictionary is incorporated into an objective function in a statistical iterative reconstruction framework. The dictionary can be either predetermined before an image reconstruction task or adaptively defined during the reconstruction process. An alternating minimization scheme is developed to minimize the objective function. Our approach is evaluated with low-dose X-ray projections collected in animal and human CT studies, and the improvement associated with dictionary learning is quantified relative to filtered backprojection and TV-based reconstructions. The results show that the proposed approach might produce better images with lower noise and more detailed structural features in our selected cases. However, there is no proof that this is true for all kinds of structures.

  8. Image Reconstruction. Chapter 13

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nuyts, J. [Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging Research Center, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven (Belgium); Matej, S. [Medical Image Processing Group, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

    2014-12-15

    This chapter discusses how 2‑D or 3‑D images of tracer distribution can be reconstructed from a series of so-called projection images acquired with a gamma camera or a positron emission tomography (PET) system [13.1]. This is often called an ‘inverse problem’. The reconstruction is the inverse of the acquisition. The reconstruction is called an inverse problem because making software to compute the true tracer distribution from the acquired data turns out to be more difficult than the ‘forward’ direction, i.e. making software to simulate the acquisition. There are basically two approaches to image reconstruction: analytical reconstruction and iterative reconstruction. The analytical approach is based on mathematical inversion, yielding efficient, non-iterative reconstruction algorithms. In the iterative approach, the reconstruction problem is reduced to computing a finite number of image values from a finite number of measurements. That simplification enables the use of iterative instead of mathematical inversion. Iterative inversion tends to require more computer power, but it can cope with more complex (and hopefully more accurate) models of the acquisition process.

  9. Analysis of aortic root surgery with composite mechanical aortic valve conduit and valve-sparing reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, Ricardo Ribeiro; Mejia, Omar Asdrubal Vilca; Fiorelli, Alfredo Inácio; Pomerantzeff, Pablo Maria Alberto; Dias, Altamiro Ribeiro; Mady, Charles; Stolf, Noedir Antonio Groppo

    2010-01-01

    Comparative analysis of early and late results of aortic root reconstruction with aortic valve sparing operations and the composite mechanical valve conduit replacement. From November 2002 to September 2009, 164 consecutive patients with mean age 54 ± 15 years, 115 male, underwent the aortic root reconstruction (125 mechanical valve conduit replacements and 39 valve sparing operations). Sixteen percent of patients had Marfan syndrome and 4.3% had bicuspid aortic valve. One hundred and forty-four patients (88%) were followed for a mean period of 41.1 ± 20.8 months. The hospital mortality was 4.9%, 5.6% in operations with valved conduits and 2.6% in the valve sparing procedures (P valve sparing operations, respectively (95% CI = 70% - 95%, P = 0.001), (95% CI = 82% - 95% P = 0.03) and (95% CI = 81% - 95%, P = 0.03). Multivariate analysis showed that creatinine greater than 1.4 mg/dl, Cabrol operation and renal dialysis were predictors of mortality, respectively, with occurrence chance of 6 (95% CI = 1.8 - 19.5, P = 0.003), 12 (95% CI = 3 - 49.7, P = 0.0004) and 16 (95% CI = 3.6 - 71.3, P = 0.0002). The aortic root reconstruction has a low early and late mortality, high survival free of complications and low need for reoperation. During the late follow-up, valve sparing aortic root reconstructions presented fewer incidences of bleeding, thromboembolic events and endocarditis.

  10. Characterization of Reconstructed Ancestral Proteins Suggests a Change in Temperature of the Ancient Biosphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akanuma, Satoshi

    2017-08-06

    Understanding the evolution of ancestral life, and especially the ability of some organisms to flourish in the variable environments experienced in Earth's early biosphere, requires knowledge of the characteristics and the environment of these ancestral organisms. Information about early life and environmental conditions has been obtained from fossil records and geological surveys. Recent advances in phylogenetic analysis, and an increasing number of protein sequences available in public databases, have made it possible to infer ancestral protein sequences possessed by ancient organisms. However, the in silico studies that assess the ancestral base content of ribosomal RNAs, the frequency of each amino acid in ancestral proteins, and estimate the environmental temperatures of ancient organisms, show conflicting results. The characterization of ancestral proteins reconstructed in vitro suggests that ancient organisms had very thermally stable proteins, and therefore were thermophilic or hyperthermophilic. Experimental data supports the idea that only thermophilic ancestors survived the catastrophic increase in temperature of the biosphere that was likely associated with meteorite impacts during the early history of Earth. In addition, by expanding the timescale and including more ancestral proteins for reconstruction, it appears as though the Earth's surface temperature gradually decreased over time, from Archean to present.

  11. Coordinate reconstruction using box reconstruction and projection of X-ray photo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achmad Suntoro

    2011-01-01

    Some mathematical formula have been derived for a process of reconstruction to define the coordinate of any point relative to a pre set coordinate system. The process of reconstruction uses a reconstruction box in which each edge's length of the box is known, each top-bottom face and left-right face of the box having a cross marker, and the top face and the right face of the box as plane projections by X-ray source in perspective projection -system. Using the data of the two X-ray projection images, any point inside the reconstruction box, as long as its projection is recorded in the two photos, will be determined its coordinate relative to the midpoint of the reconstruction box as the central point coordinates. (author)

  12. Failed vascularized proximal fibular epiphyseal transfer for hip reconstruction following infection in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Debarge, Romain; Chotel, Franck; Gazarian, Aram; Viola, Jérémy; Berard, Jérôme

    2009-08-01

    Treatment of the sequellae of hip infection with epiphyseal destruction in children has had limited success to date. The aim of this study was to report mid-term results after hip epiphyseal reconstruction using a proximal vascularized fibular graft in three children presenting with massive epiphyseal destruction of the proximal femur following infection. Three children suffered from hip articular destruction type IVB according to the Choi classification after neonatal septic arthritis. The mean age at reconstruction was 4.3 years (range 3-6 years). The Hunka et al. criteria were used to evaluate the functional results, and the clinical evaluation was based on the Musculo-Skeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score. Growth and fusion of the graft and hip morphology were evaluated on simple X-rays and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A ratio between cephalic diameter and inter-acetabular gap was defined on the MRI scan as the "acetabular filling index". No intraoperative complication was reported. With a mean follow-up of 4.8 years (3-6 years), the MSTS score was 22.7/30 (range 20-26), while the average lower limb length discrepancy was 3 cm. Patient 1 required a secondary derotation osteotomy of the femur because of abnormal external rotation and a bad result due to the unexplained occurrence of a painful and stiff hip joint. A secondary distal transfer of the greater trochanter was performed in patient 2, and good results based on Hunka et al.'s criteria were achieved. The X-rays of patients 1 and 2 showed signs of bone growth and a major remodeling process; the MRI filling indices were 83 and 67%, respectively. Patient 3 developed an early slipped capital (fibular) epiphysis 1 month postoperatively, which was treated by percutaneous pinning; this early complication led to a bad result with full resorption of the graft. In contrast to its success in upper limb reconstruction, in this series of three patients with hip articular destruction, articular reconstruction

  13. Segmentation-DrivenTomographic Reconstruction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kongskov, Rasmus Dalgas

    such that the segmentation subsequently can be carried out by use of a simple segmentation method, for instance just a thresholding method. We tested the advantages of going from a two-stage reconstruction method to a one stage segmentation-driven reconstruction method for the phase contrast tomography reconstruction......The tomographic reconstruction problem is concerned with creating a model of the interior of an object from some measured data, typically projections of the object. After reconstructing an object it is often desired to segment it, either automatically or manually. For computed tomography (CT...

  14. Accelerated median root prior reconstruction for pinhole single-photon emission tomography (SPET)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sohlberg, Antti [Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, PO Box 1777 FIN-70211, Kuopio (Finland); Ruotsalainen, Ulla [Institute of Signal Processing, DMI, Tampere University of Technology, PO Box 553 FIN-33101, Tampere (Finland); Watabe, Hiroshi [National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, 5-7-1 Fujisihro-dai, Suita City, Osaka 565-8565 (Japan); Iida, Hidehiro [National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, 5-7-1 Fujisihro-dai, Suita City, Osaka 565-8565 (Japan); Kuikka, Jyrki T [Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, PO Box 1777 FIN-70211, Kuopio (Finland)

    2003-07-07

    Pinhole collimation can be used to improve spatial resolution in SPET. However, the resolution improvement is achieved at the cost of reduced sensitivity, which leads to projection images with poor statistics. Images reconstructed from these projections using the maximum likelihood expectation maximization (ML-EM) algorithms, which have been used to reduce the artefacts generated by the filtered backprojection (FBP) based reconstruction, suffer from noise/bias trade-off: noise contaminates the images at high iteration numbers, whereas early abortion of the algorithm produces images that are excessively smooth and biased towards the initial estimate of the algorithm. To limit the noise accumulation we propose the use of the pinhole median root prior (PH-MRP) reconstruction algorithm. MRP is a Bayesian reconstruction method that has already been used in PET imaging and shown to possess good noise reduction and edge preservation properties. In this study the PH-MRP algorithm was accelerated with the ordered subsets (OS) procedure and compared to the FBP, OS-EM and conventional Bayesian reconstruction methods in terms of noise reduction, quantitative accuracy, edge preservation and visual quality. The results showed that the accelerated PH-MRP algorithm was very robust. It provided visually pleasing images with lower noise level than the FBP or OS-EM and with smaller bias and sharper edges than the conventional Bayesian methods.

  15. Vaginal reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lesavoy, M.A.

    1985-01-01

    Vaginal reconstruction can be an uncomplicated and straightforward procedure when attention to detail is maintained. The Abbe-McIndoe procedure of lining the neovaginal canal with split-thickness skin grafts has become standard. The use of the inflatable Heyer-Schulte vaginal stent provides comfort to the patient and ease to the surgeon in maintaining approximation of the skin graft. For large vaginal and perineal defects, myocutaneous flaps such as the gracilis island have been extremely useful for correction of radiation-damaged tissue of the perineum or for the reconstruction of large ablative defects. Minimal morbidity and scarring ensue because the donor site can be closed primarily. With all vaginal reconstruction, a compliant patient is a necessity. The patient must wear a vaginal obturator for a minimum of 3 to 6 months postoperatively and is encouraged to use intercourse as an excellent obturator. In general, vaginal reconstruction can be an extremely gratifying procedure for both the functional and emotional well-being of patients

  16. A wavelet-based regularized reconstruction algorithm for SENSE parallel MRI with applications to neuroimaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaari, L.; Pesquet, J.Ch.; Chaari, L.; Ciuciu, Ph.; Benazza-Benyahia, A.

    2011-01-01

    To reduce scanning time and/or improve spatial/temporal resolution in some Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) applications, parallel MRI acquisition techniques with multiple coils acquisition have emerged since the early 1990's as powerful imaging methods that allow a faster acquisition process. In these techniques, the full FOV image has to be reconstructed from the resulting acquired under sampled k-space data. To this end, several reconstruction techniques have been proposed such as the widely-used Sensitivity Encoding (SENSE) method. However, the reconstructed image generally presents artifacts when perturbations occur in both the measured data and the estimated coil sensitivity profiles. In this paper, we aim at achieving accurate image reconstruction under degraded experimental conditions (low magnetic field and high reduction factor), in which neither the SENSE method nor the Tikhonov regularization in the image domain give convincing results. To this end, we present a novel method for SENSE-based reconstruction which proceeds with regularization in the complex wavelet domain by promoting sparsity. The proposed approach relies on a fast algorithm that enables the minimization of regularized non-differentiable criteria including more general penalties than a classical l 1 term. To further enhance the reconstructed image quality, local convex constraints are added to the regularization process. In vivo human brain experiments carried out on Gradient-Echo (GRE) anatomical and Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) functional MRI data at 1.5 T indicate that our algorithm provides reconstructed images with reduced artifacts for high reduction factors. (authors)

  17. Liquifying PLDLLA Anchor Fixation in Achilles Reconstruction for Insertional Tendinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boden, Stephanie A; Boden, Allison L; Mignemi, Danielle; Bariteau, Jason T

    2018-04-01

    Insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) is a frequent cause of posterior heel pain and is often associated with Haglund's deformity. Surgical correction for refractory cases of IAT has been well studied; however, the method of tendon fixation to bone in these procedures remains controversial, and to date, no standard technique has been identified for tendon fixation in these surgeries. Often, after Haglund's resection, there is large exposed cancellous surface for Achilles reattachment, which may require unique fixation to optimize outcomes. Previous studies have consistently demonstrated improved patient outcomes after Achilles tendon reconstruction with early rehabilitation with protected weight bearing, evidencing the need for a strong and stable anchoring of the Achilles tendon that allows early weight bearing without tendon morbidity. In this report, we highlight the design, biomechanics, and surgical technique of Achilles tendon reconstruction with Haglund's deformity using a novel technique that utilizes ultrasonic energy to liquefy the suture anchor, allowing it to incorporate into surrounding bone. Biomechanical studies have demonstrated superior strength of the suture anchor utilizing this novel technique as compared with prior techniques. However, future research is needed to ensure that outcomes of this technique are favorable when compared with outcomes using traditional suture anchoring methods. Level V: Operative technique.

  18. The 1st NIRS symposium on reconstruction of early internal dose in the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. Proceedings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurihara, Osamu; Akahane, Keiichi; Fukuda, Shigekazu; Miyahara, Nobuyuki; Yonai, Shunsuke [eds.

    2012-11-15

    probably inhalation rather than ingestion, unlike the situation in the Chernobyl accident. This year NIRS has launched a new project for estimating internal doses received by members of the public in affected areas. A symposium was organized by NIRS on July 10-11, 2012 as the first step of this project. The main purposes of this symposium were (1) to collect all information available for the above estimations, and (2) to discuss methods that could be used for the reconstruction of early internal doses. The symposium, attended by many participants from Japan and invitees from overseas, was a great success. It has been also my great pleasure to publish the Proceedings of the symposium, which contains the papers submitted by the presenters at the symposium. All the papers were carefully reviewed by international experts in related scientific fields. It is my hope that the publication of these Proceedings will be useful for future work on dose reconstruction related to Fukushima nuclear disaster. I would like to express my deep gratitude to all those who contributed to the symposium and to this publication. (author)

  19. The 1st NIRS symposium on reconstruction of early internal dose in the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. Proceedings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurihara, Osamu; Akahane, Keiichi; Fukuda, Shigekazu; Miyahara, Nobuyuki; Yonai, Shunsuke

    2012-11-01

    inhalation rather than ingestion, unlike the situation in the Chernobyl accident. This year NIRS has launched a new project for estimating internal doses received by members of the public in affected areas. A symposium was organized by NIRS on July 10-11, 2012 as the first step of this project. The main purposes of this symposium were (1) to collect all information available for the above estimations, and (2) to discuss methods that could be used for the reconstruction of early internal doses. The symposium, attended by many participants from Japan and invitees from overseas, was a great success. It has been also my great pleasure to publish the Proceedings of the symposium, which contains the papers submitted by the presenters at the symposium. All the papers were carefully reviewed by international experts in related scientific fields. It is my hope that the publication of these Proceedings will be useful for future work on dose reconstruction related to Fukushima nuclear disaster. I would like to express my deep gratitude to all those who contributed to the symposium and to this publication. (author)

  20. An embryological perspective on the early arthropod fossil record.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chipman, Ariel D

    2015-12-18

    Our understanding of the early evolution of the arthropod body plan has recently improved significantly through advances in phylogeny and developmental biology and through new interpretations of the fossil record. However, there has been limited effort to synthesize data from these different sources. Bringing an embryological perspective into the fossil record is a useful way to integrate knowledge from different disciplines into a single coherent view of arthropod evolution. I have used current knowledge on the development of extant arthropods, together with published descriptions of fossils, to reconstruct the germband stages of a series of key taxa leading from the arthropod lower stem group to crown group taxa. These reconstruction highlight the main evolutionary transitions that have occurred during early arthropod evolution, provide new insights into the types of mechanisms that could have been active and suggest new questions and research directions. The reconstructions suggest several novel homology hypotheses - e.g. the lower stem group head shield and head capsules in the crown group are all hypothesized to derive from the embryonic head lobes. The homology of anterior segments in different groups is resolved consistently. The transition between "lower-stem" and "upper-stem" arthropods is highlighted as a major transition with a concentration of novelties and innovations, suggesting a gap in the fossil record. A close relationship between chelicerates and megacheirans is supported by the embryonic reconstructions, and I suggest that the depth of the mandibulate-chelicerate split should be reexamined.

  1. Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Cancer Prevention Genetics of Breast & Gynecologic Cancers Breast Cancer Screening Research Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy On This Page What is breast reconstruction? How do surgeons use implants to reconstruct a woman’s breast? How do surgeons ...

  2. Oak Ridge Dose Reconstruction Project Summary Report; Reports of the Oak Ridge Dose Reconstruction, Vol. 7

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas E. Widner; et. al.

    1999-07-01

    In the early 1990s, concern about the Oak Ridge Reservation's past releases of contaminants to the environment prompted Tennessee's public health officials to pursue an in-depth study of potential off-site health effects at Oak Ridge. This study, the Oak Ridge dose reconstruction, was supported by an agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the State of Tennessee, and was overseen by a 12-member panel of individuals appointed by Tennessee's Commissioner of Health. The panel requested that the principal investigator for the project prepare the following report, ''Oak Ridge Dose Reconstruction Project Summary Report,'' to serve the following purposes: (1) summarize in a single, less technical report, the methods and results of the various investigations that comprised the Phase II of the dose reconstruction; (2) describe the systematic searching of classified and unclassified historical records that was a vital component of the project; and (3) summarize the less detailed, screening-level assessments that were performed to evaluate the potential health significance of a number of materials, such a uranium, whose priority did not require a complete dose reconstruction effort. This report describes each major step of the dose reconstruction study: (1) the review of thousands of historical records to obtain information relating to past operations at each facility; (2) estimation of the quantity and timing of releases of radioiodines from X-10, of mercury from Y-12, of PCB's from all facilities, and of cesium-137 and other radionuclides from White Oak Creek; (3) evaluation of the routes taken by these contaminants through the environment to nearby populations; and (4) estimation of doses and health risks to exposed groups. Calculations found the highest excess cancer risks for a female born in 1952 who drank goat milk; the highest non-cancer health risk was for children in a farm family exposed to PCBs in and near

  3. Gastric Tube Reconstruction with Superdrainage Using Indocyanine Green Fluorescence During Esophagectomy

    OpenAIRE

    KITAGAWA, HIROYUKI; NAMIKAWA, TSUTOMU; IWABU, JUN; HANAZAKI, KAZUHIRO

    2017-01-01

    We report a case of gastric tube reconstruction with superdrainage using indocyanine green fluorescence during esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. A 53-year-old man with a history of early esophageal cancer treated with endoscopic mucosal dissection experienced esophageal cancer recurrence. There was no evidence of lymph node involvement or distant metastasis on computed tomography; therefore, we performed thoracoscopic esophagectomy. After thoracoscopic esophagectomy, we created a gastric t...

  4. Low-Dose X-ray CT Reconstruction via Dictionary Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Qiong; Zhang, Lei; Hsieh, Jiang; Wang, Ge

    2013-01-01

    Although diagnostic medical imaging provides enormous benefits in the early detection and accuracy diagnosis of various diseases, there are growing concerns on the potential side effect of radiation induced genetic, cancerous and other diseases. How to reduce radiation dose while maintaining the diagnostic performance is a major challenge in the computed tomography (CT) field. Inspired by the compressive sensing theory, the sparse constraint in terms of total variation (TV) minimization has already led to promising results for low-dose CT reconstruction. Compared to the discrete gradient transform used in the TV method, dictionary learning is proven to be an effective way for sparse representation. On the other hand, it is important to consider the statistical property of projection data in the low-dose CT case. Recently, we have developed a dictionary learning based approach for low-dose X-ray CT. In this paper, we present this method in detail and evaluate it in experiments. In our method, the sparse constraint in terms of a redundant dictionary is incorporated into an objective function in a statistical iterative reconstruction framework. The dictionary can be either predetermined before an image reconstruction task or adaptively defined during the reconstruction process. An alternating minimization scheme is developed to minimize the objective function. Our approach is evaluated with low-dose X-ray projections collected in animal and human CT studies, and the improvement associated with dictionary learning is quantified relative to filtered backprojection and TV-based reconstructions. The results show that the proposed approach might produce better images with lower noise and more detailed structural features in our selected cases. However, there is no proof that this is true for all kinds of structures. PMID:22542666

  5. Reconstruction of lip defects with the karapandzic technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rashid, M.; Illahi, I.; Aslam, R.; Hameed, S.; Masood, T.; Hanif, M. S.

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To study the use and effects of Karapandzic technique of lip reconstruction by long-term assessment. Results: A total of 37 patients were included in the study. Thirteen (35%) patients were outdoor cases while 24 (65%) were in-patients. Average time of reconstruction was 40 minutes, which was done under general anesthesia in 21(57%) patients and under local anesthesia in 16 (43%) cases. Mean hospital stay of the indoor cases was 26 hours. There was no flap loss except for marginal necrosis in 04 (11%) patients. Wound infection and wound dehiscence was observed in 03 (08%) patients. Sensations were completely intact in 29 (78%) patients and aesthetically 28 (76%) patients gave normal look at the end of two years (2Y). Twenty-seven (74%) patients had no change in speech and only one (3%) patient had unsatisfactory speech after 2 years. Varying degree of microstomia was observed in all the cases at immediate postoperative stage of one month but 35 (95%) patients showed gradual improvement with active mouth opening and stretching by prosthetic splints over 2 years. Conclusion: The Karapandzic technique of lip reconstruction is strongly recommended over the other techniques as it is a single stage, quick and safe procedure which gives cosmetically and functionally excellent results. Microstomia, occurring in early postoperative stage, shows gradual improvement on long-term follow-up. (author)

  6. Effects of early and late cheiloplasty on anterior part of maxillary dental arch development in infants with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Valentová-Strenáčiková

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. The objective of this study is to compare the impact of early and late reconstruction of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate on the growth and development of the front of the dentoalveolar arch. Methods. This study was carried out in the years 2012–2015 at the Clinic of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery in Banska Bystrica. Infants with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate were divided into 2 groups according to the timing of lip reconstruction. Group A consisted of infants with early lip reconstruction–realised in the first 14 days of life. Group B consisted of infants with later lip reconstruction–realised in the third month of age. Maxillary dental casts were obtained for each child in four periods–in the first 14 days of life, in the third month, in the sixth month and in the age of one year. These were followed by the identification, measurement and evaluation of anthropometric parameters. Results. Significant differences were occurred after the reconstruction of the lips in linear and angle measurements between infants in the A and B groups. Conclusion. The early surgical reconstruction of the lips in the first 14 days of life has a positive effect on the growth and development of the anterior segment of the dentoalveolar arch. Early lip reconstruction forms a continuous pressure on the frontal segment, resulting in the earlier remedy of anatomical properties and creates appropriate conditions for the best development of this area.

  7. Delayed reconstruction of mangled lower extremities: soft tissue management

    OpenAIRE

    Tiftikçioğlu, Yiğit Özer; Erçin, Burak Sercan; Erdem, Mehmet; Biçer, Ahmet; Özkayın, Nadir; Özek, Cüneyt

    2018-01-01

    Objectives: This study aims to propose a new, practical and versatile algorithm for the management of traumatic lower limb soft tissue wounds for patients who did not undergo early reconstruction.Materials and methods: A total of 81 patients (54 males, 27 females; mean age 37.1 years; range 11 to 64 years) managed due to complex lower limb injuries at our institution between January 2008 and December 2012 were analyzed retrospectively in this study. Age and gender of the patients, type of tra...

  8. Complications of Radical Cystectomy and Orthotopic Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Shen Tan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Radical cystectomy and orthotopic reconstruction significant morbidity and mortality despite advances in minimal invasive and robotic technology. In this review, we will discuss early and late complications, as well as describe efforts to minimize morbidity and mortality, with a focus on ileal orthotopic bladder substitute (OBS. We summarise efforts to minimize morbidity and mortality including enhanced recovery as well as early and late complications seen after radical cystectomy and OBS. Centralisation of complex cancer services in the UK has led to a fall in mortality and high volume institutions have a significantly lower rate of 30-day mortality compared to low volume institutions. Enhanced recovery pathways have resulted in shorter length of hospital stay and potentially a reduction in morbidity. Early complications of radical cystectomy occur as a direct result of the surgery itself while late complications, which can occur even after 10 years after surgery, are due to urinary diversion. OBS represents the ideal urinary diversion for patients without contraindications. However, all patients with OBS should have regular long term follow-up for oncological surveillance and to identify complications should they arise.

  9. Reconstruction of the gene regulatory network involved in the sonic hedgehog pathway with a potential role in early development of the mouse brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinhua Liu

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The Sonic hedgehog (Shh signaling pathway is crucial for pattern formation in early central nervous system development. By systematically analyzing high-throughput in situ hybridization data of E11.5 mouse brain, we found that Shh and its receptor Ptch1 define two adjacent mutually exclusive gene expression domains: Shh+Ptch1- and Shh-Ptch1+. These two domains are associated respectively with Foxa2 and Gata3, two transcription factors that play key roles in specifying them. Gata3 ChIP-seq experiments and RNA-seq assays on Gata3-knockdown cells revealed that Gata3 up-regulates the genes that are enriched in the Shh-Ptch1+ domain. Important Gata3 targets include Slit2 and Slit3, which are involved in the process of axon guidance, as well as Slc18a1, Th and Qdpr, which are associated with neurotransmitter synthesis and release. By contrast, Foxa2 both up-regulates the genes expressed in the Shh+Ptch1- domain and down-regulates the genes characteristic of the Shh-Ptch1+ domain. From these and other data, we were able to reconstruct a gene regulatory network governing both domains. Our work provides the first genome-wide characterization of the gene regulatory network involved in the Shh pathway that underlies pattern formation in the early mouse brain.

  10. Reconstruction of early phase deformations by integrated magnetic and mesotectonic data evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sipos, András A.; Márton, Emő; Fodor, László

    2018-02-01

    Markers of brittle faulting are widely used for recovering past deformation phases. Rocks often have oriented magnetic fabrics, which can be interpreted as connected to ductile deformation before cementation of the sediment. This paper reports a novel statistical procedure for simultaneous evaluation of AMS (Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility) and fault-slip data. The new method analyzes the AMS data, without linearization techniques, so that weak AMS lineation and rotational AMS can be assessed that are beyond the scope of classical methods. This idea is extended to the evaluation of fault-slip data. While the traditional assumptions of stress inversion are not rejected, the method recovers the stress field via statistical hypothesis testing. In addition it provides statistical information needed for the combined evaluation of the AMS and the mesotectonic (0.1 to 10 m) data. In the combined evaluation a statistical test is carried out that helps to decide if the AMS lineation and the mesotectonic markers (in case of repeated deformation of the oldest set of markers) were formed in the same or different deformation phases. If this condition is met, the combined evaluation can improve the precision of the reconstruction. When the two data sets do not have a common solution for the direction of the extension, the deformational origin of the AMS is questionable. In this case the orientation of the stress field responsible for the AMS lineation might be different from that which caused the brittle deformation. Although most of the examples demonstrate the reconstruction of weak deformations in sediments, the new method is readily applicable to investigate the ductile-brittle transition of any rock formation as long as AMS and fault-slip data are available.

  11. Features of the method of large-scale paleolandscape reconstructions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nizovtsev, Vyacheslav; Erman, Natalia; Graves, Irina

    2017-04-01

    The method of paleolandscape reconstructions was tested in the key area of the basin of the Central Dubna, located at the junction of the Taldom and Sergiev Posad districts of the Moscow region. A series of maps was created which shows paleoreconstructions of the original (indigenous) living environment of initial settlers during main time periods of the Holocene age and features of human interaction with landscapes at the early stages of economic development of the territory (in the early and middle Holocene). The sequence of these works is as follows. 1. Comprehensive analysis of topographic maps of different scales and aerial and satellite images, stock materials of geological and hydrological surveys and prospecting of peat deposits, archaeological evidence on ancient settlements, palynological and osteological analysis, analysis of complex landscape and archaeological studies. 2. Mapping of factual material and analyzing of the spatial distribution of archaeological sites were performed. 3. Running of a large-scale field landscape mapping (sample areas) and compiling of maps of the modern landscape structure. On this basis, edaphic properties of the main types of natural boundaries were analyzed and their resource base was determined. 4. Reconstruction of lake-river system during the main periods of the Holocene. The boundaries of restored paleolakes were determined based on power and territorial confinement of decay ooze. 5. On the basis of landscape and edaphic method the actual paleolandscape reconstructions for the main periods of the Holocene were performed. During the reconstructions of the original, indigenous flora we relied on data of palynological studies conducted on the studied area or in similar landscape conditions. 6. The result was a retrospective analysis and periodization of the settlement process, economic development and the formation of the first anthropogenically transformed landscape complexes. The reconstruction of the dynamics of the

  12. [Reconstructive methods after Fournier gangrene].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallner, C; Behr, B; Ring, A; Mikhail, B D; Lehnhardt, M; Daigeler, A

    2016-04-01

    Fournier's gangrene is a variant of the necrotizing fasciitis restricted to the perineal and genital region. It presents as an acute life-threatening disease and demands rapid surgical debridement, resulting in large soft tissue defects. Various reconstructive methods have to be applied to reconstitute functionality and aesthetics. The objective of this work is to identify different reconstructive methods in the literature and compare them to our current concepts for reconstructing defects caused by Fournier gangrene. Analysis of the current literature and our reconstructive methods on Fournier gangrene. The Fournier gangrene is an emergency requiring rapid, calculated antibiotic treatment and radical surgical debridement. After the acute phase of the disease, appropriate reconstructive methods are indicated. The planning of the reconstruction of the defect depends on many factors, especially functional and aesthetic demands. Scrotal reconstruction requires a higher aesthetic and functional reconstructive degree than perineal cutaneous wounds. In general, thorough wound hygiene, proper pre-operative planning, and careful consideration of the patient's demands are essential for successful reconstruction. In the literature, various methods for reconstruction after Fournier gangrene are described. Reconstruction with a flap is required for a good functional result in complex regions as the scrotum and penis, while cutaneous wounds can be managed through skin grafting. Patient compliance and tissue demand are crucial factors in the decision-making process.

  13. Shaping the breast in secondary microsurgical breast reconstruction: single- vs. two-esthetic unit reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gravvanis, Andreas; Smith, Roger W

    2010-10-01

    The esthetic outcome is dictated essentially not only by the position, size, and shape of the reconstructed breast, but also by the extra scaring involved. In the present study, we conducted a visual analog scale survey to compare the esthetic outcome in delayed autologous breast reconstruction following two different abdominal flaps inset. Twenty-five patients had their reconstruction using the Single-esthetic Unit principle and were compared with 25 patients that their breast was reconstructed using the Two-Esthetic Unit principle. Photographic images were formulated to a PowerPoint presentation and cosmetic outcomes were assessed from 30 physicians, by means of a Questionnaire and a visual analog scale. Our data showed that the single-esthetic unit breast reconstruction presents significant advantages over the traditional two-esthetic units, due to inconspicuous flap reconstruction, better position of the inframammary fold, and more natural transition from native and reconstructed tissues. Moreover, patient self-evaluation of esthetic outcome and quality of life showed that single-esthetic unit reconstruction is associated with higher patient satisfaction, therefore should be considered the method of choice. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  14. Our Clinical Experience in Lower Eyelid Reconstruction and Comparison of Reconstruction Techniques.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erol Kesiktas

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Lower eyelid reconstruction after tumor resection or trauma is extremely important in order to obtain the protection of the globe and it requires extra care. The aim of this study is to evaluate the techniques that we use in lower eyelid reconstruction. Between the years of 1999-2009, a total of 23 patients who had lower eyelid defects due to tumor resection (21 patients or trauma (2 patients were reconstructed by the use of various flaps. Eleven of the patients were women and twelve of them were men. Average age was 60.7. For the reconstruction 13 Mustarde flap, 9 bipedicled Tripier flap, 1 Tenzel flap and 1 bipedicled infraorbital flaps were used. Average postoperative follow up interval was 35 months. (18-47 months. Flap necrosis, function loss in the lower lid were not experienced in any of the patients. Cosmetically satisfactory results were obtained. In lower eyelid reconstruction, the size of the defect and the amount of skin around must be carefully evaluated and should be considered while planning the reconstruction. [Cukurova Med J 2011; 36(1: 15-23

  15. EEG source reconstruction reveals frontal-parietal dynamics of spatial conflict processing

    OpenAIRE

    Cohen, M.X.; Ridderinkhof, K.R.

    2013-01-01

    Cognitive control requires the suppression of distracting information in order to focus on task-relevant information. We applied EEG source reconstruction via time-frequency linear constrained minimum variance beamforming to help elucidate the neural mechanisms involved in spatial conflict processing. Human subjects performed a Simon task, in which conflict was induced by incongruence between spatial location and response hand. We found an early (?200 ms post-stimulus) conflict modulation in ...

  16. Breast Reconstruction Following Cancer Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerber, Bernd; Marx, Mario; Untch, Michael; Faridi, Andree

    2015-08-31

    About 8000 breast reconstructions after mastectomy are per - formed in Germany each year. It has become more difficult to advise patients because of the wide variety of heterologous and autologous techniques that are now available and because of changes in the recommendations about radiotherapy. This article is based on a review of pertinent articles (2005-2014) that were retrieved by a selective search employing the search terms "mastectomy" and "breast reconstruction." The goal of reconstruction is to achieve an oncologically safe and aestically satisfactory result for the patient over the long term. Heterologous, i.e., implant-based, breast reconstruction (IBR) and autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) are complementary techniques. Immediate reconstruction preserves the skin of the breast and its natural form and prevents the psychological trauma associated with mastectomy. If post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) is not indicated, implant-based reconstruction with or without a net/acellular dermal matrix (ADM) is a common option. Complications such as seroma formation, infection, and explantation are significantly more common when an ADM is used (15.3% vs. 5.4% ). If PMRT is performed, then the complication rate of implant-based breast reconstruction is 1 to 48% ; in particular, Baker grade III/IV capsular fibrosis occurs in 7 to 22% of patients, and the prosthesis must be explanted in 9 to 41% . Primary or, preferably, secondary autologous reconstruction is an alternative. The results of ABR are more stable over the long term, but the operation is markedly more complex. Autologous breast reconstruction after PMRT does not increase the risk of serious complications (20.5% vs. 17.9% without radiotherapy). No randomized controlled trials have yet been conducted to compare the reconstructive techniques with each other. If radiotherapy will not be performed, immediate reconstruction with an implant is recommended. On the other hand, if post-mastectomy radiotherapy

  17. Methylene Blue Dye-Induced Skin Necrosis in Immediate Breast Reconstruction: Evaluation and Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Hwan Lee

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Background For early breast cancer patients, skin-sparing mastectomy or nipple-sparing mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy has become the mainstream treatment for immediate breast reconstruction in possible cases. However, a few cases of skin necrosis caused by methylene blue dye (MBD used for sentinel lymph node localization have been reported. Methods Immediate breast reconstruction using a silicone implant was performed on 35 breasts of 34 patients after mastectomy. For sentinel lymph node localization, 1% MBD (3 mL was injected into the subareolar area. The operation site was inspected in the postoperative evaluation. Results Six cases of immediate breast reconstruction using implants were complicated by methylene blue dye. One case of local infection was improved by conservative treatment. In two cases, partial necrosis and wound dehiscence of the incision areas were observed; thus, debridement and closure were performed. Of the three cases of wide skin necrosis, two cases underwent removal of the dead tissue and implants, followed by primary closure. In the other case, the breast implant was salvaged using latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap reconstruction. Conclusions The complications were caused by MBD toxicity, which aggravated blood disturbance and skin tension after implant insertion. When planning immediate breast reconstruction using silicone implants, complications of MBD should be discussed in detail prior to surgery, and appropriate management in the event of complications is required.

  18. Reconstruction of the mandible and the maxilla: the evolution of surgical technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genden, Eric M

    2010-01-01

    The upper and lower jaws play an essential role in mastication, articulation, and cosmetic form. The mandible provides support for tongue position and elevation of the larynx during swallowing, while the maxilla provides support for the nasal structures as well as an opposing structure to the mandible during mastication. The evolution of mandibular and maxillary reconstruction dates back to the early 19th century. Before the introduction of free tissue transfer, a variety of local flaps, regional flaps, and prosthetics were introduced, yet each was met with eventual failure. Since the introduction of free tissue transfer, mandibular and maxillary reconstruction has become as much of an art as it has a science. Whether the mandibular or the palatomaxillary defects are a result of trauma, congenital deformity, or tumor extirpation, the resultant effect often disrupts both form and function. With these considerations taken together, jaw reconstruction is a unique undertaking in which the artistic reconstruction of the facial skeleton is met with the science of reestablishing the mechanics of mastication. The site, size, and associated soft-tissue defects represent the 3 most important factors in determining the impact of a given defect on function and aesthetics. There is also an inherent difference between defects that are sustained in a controlled fashion, such as during cancer ablation, and those that result from trauma. The consideration of these complexities in jaw reconstruction is reflected in the wide variety of approaches and techniques that have evolved over the past century.

  19. Permutationally invariant state reconstruction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moroder, Tobias; Hyllus, Philipp; Tóth, Géza

    2012-01-01

    Feasible tomography schemes for large particle numbers must possess, besides an appropriate data acquisition protocol, an efficient way to reconstruct the density operator from the observed finite data set. Since state reconstruction typically requires the solution of a nonlinear large-scale opti...... optimization, which has clear advantages regarding speed, control and accuracy in comparison to commonly employed numerical routines. First prototype implementations easily allow reconstruction of a state of 20 qubits in a few minutes on a standard computer.......-scale optimization problem, this is a major challenge in the design of scalable tomography schemes. Here we present an efficient state reconstruction scheme for permutationally invariant quantum state tomography. It works for all common state-of-the-art reconstruction principles, including, in particular, maximum...

  20. Are the paleoclimatic reconstructions based on mammals biased by the local landscape?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Alix, Antonio

    2017-04-01

    The paleoclimatic reconstructions deduced from mammal associations might have been biased by the complex local effect of the landscape. This effect is especially important in tectonically active regions where important landscape changes occurred in short-time periods. In this abstract, I present a coupled paleoenvironmental approach 1) using the ecological requirement of the faunal associations, and 2) using isotopic analyses in both sediments and small mammal teeth in order to discern between climate and landscape effects. Southern Iberian Peninsula was a tectonically active area during the late Miocene and Pliocene, and the environmental and humidity data deduced from the faunal associations agree with the sedimentary evolution of the basin. However, these humidity trends are usually opposite to the humidity reconstruction deduced from the carbon isotopic data in rodent teeth and from the isotopic composition of the sediments (C and O), which are scarcely influenced by the landscape. So, changes in the landscape, probably boosted by tectonics, gave rise to the development of endorheic and/or exorheic systems in the areas and conditioned the extension of these systems, affecting taxa with high dependence on humidity. Similar outcomes have been observed in early-middle Miocene records from north Spain. In those cases, the response of small mammal associations to abrupt climate changes might have been also buffered by the landscape. On the other hand, records where there was no important landscape changes, such as those from an early- middle Miocene coastal area of eastern Spain, do not show that disagreement in the humidity and environmental reconstructions following both methods.

  1. Clinical application of 16-slice spiral CT in reconstruction imaging of coronary artery for diagnosing coronary disense

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mao Xinbo; Zhu Xinjin; Zeng Huiliang; Chen Xueguang

    2005-01-01

    Objective: An evaluation of the reconstructed imaging of coronary arteries with 16-slice spiral CT in diagnosis of coronary disease. Methods: The reconstructed images of coronary arteries obtained on a 16-slice spiral CT scanner were reviewed in 60 cases, on which the following techniques were applied: retrospective ECG-gating, Segment method with 75% R-R interval, volume rendering technique (VRT), maximum intensity projection (MIP), mulfiplanar reconstruction (MPR), curved planar reconstruction (CPR) and CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE). Results: In all 60 cases, different stages of CHD were revealed in 21 cases; none abnormality was found in 33; and images were in poor quality in 2 cases, which was available for diagnosis. There were 4 stents planted in 4 cases: soft plaque suspected in lcase, patent in 2 and occlude in 1. Conclusion: The reconstructed imaging of coronary arteries with 16-slice spiral CT is superior modality in evaluation of severe coronary stenosis, plaques, and the pantency of the intra-luminal stents, which is an efficient and non-invasive imaging in diagnosis of early-stage CHD and screening in high risk population. (authors)

  2. Fast implementations of reconstruction-based scatter compensation in fully 3D SPECT image reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kadrmas, Dan J.; Karimi, Seemeen S.; Frey, Eric C.; Tsui, Benjamin M.W.

    1998-01-01

    Accurate scatter compensation in SPECT can be performed by modelling the scatter response function during the reconstruction process. This method is called reconstruction-based scatter compensation (RBSC). It has been shown that RBSC has a number of advantages over other methods of compensating for scatter, but using RBSC for fully 3D compensation has resulted in prohibitively long reconstruction times. In this work we propose two new methods that can be used in conjunction with existing methods to achieve marked reductions in RBSC reconstruction times. The first method, coarse-grid scatter modelling, significantly accelerates the scatter model by exploiting the fact that scatter is dominated by low-frequency information. The second method, intermittent RBSC, further accelerates the reconstruction process by limiting the number of iterations during which scatter is modelled. The fast implementations were evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulated experiment of the 3D MCAT phantom with 99m Tc tracer, and also using experimentally acquired data with 201 Tl tracer. Results indicated that these fast methods can reconstruct, with fully 3D compensation, images very similar to those obtained using standard RBSC methods, and in reconstruction times that are an order of magnitude shorter. Using these methods, fully 3D iterative reconstruction with RBSC can be performed well within the realm of clinically realistic times (under 10 minutes for 64x64x24 image reconstruction). (author)

  3. Experiments in Reconstructing Twentieth-Century Sea Levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Richard D.; Douglas, Bruce C.

    2011-01-01

    One approach to reconstructing historical sea level from the relatively sparse tide-gauge network is to employ Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) as interpolatory spatial basis functions. The EOFs are determined from independent global data, generally sea-surface heights from either satellite altimetry or a numerical ocean model. The problem is revisited here for sea level since 1900. A new approach to handling the tide-gauge datum problem by direct solution offers possible advantages over the method of integrating sea-level differences, with the potential of eventually adjusting datums into the global terrestrial reference frame. The resulting time series of global mean sea levels appears fairly insensitive to the adopted set of EOFs. In contrast, charts of regional sea level anomalies and trends are very sensitive to the adopted set of EOFs, especially for the sparser network of gauges in the early 20th century. The reconstructions appear especially suspect before 1950 in the tropical Pacific. While this limits some applications of the sea-level reconstructions, the sensitivity does appear adequately captured by formal uncertainties. All our solutions show regional trends over the past five decades to be fairly uniform throughout the global ocean, in contrast to trends observed over the shorter altimeter era. Consistent with several previous estimates, the global sea-level rise since 1900 is 1.70 +/- 0.26 mm/yr. The global trend since 1995 exceeds 3 mm/yr which is consistent with altimeter measurements, but this large trend was possibly also reached between 1935 and 1950.

  4. Palaeomagnetism of the Early Permian Mount Leyshon Intrusive Complex and Tuckers Igneous Complex, North Queensland, Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, D. A.; Lackie, M. A.

    2003-06-01

    with Pangaea B-type reconstructions of Gondwana and Laurussia than with the Pangaea A2 configuration. This may be partly an artefact of reconstruction problems within Gondwana, as systematic differences between approximately coeval, apparently reliable, Permo-Carboniferous poles from Africa, South America and Australia are evident in standard Gondwana reconstructions. These discordances require a tighter fit of the southern continents, suggesting that some attenuation of continental margins, not accounted for in the reconstructions, has occurred during breakup of Gondwana, or that the fit between East and West Gondwana needs to be substantially modified. If stretching of continental margins during breakup of supercontinents is a general phenomenon, it may help to ameliorate, but not solve, the long-standing controversy regarding Pangaea reconstructions. Although alternative Pangaea reconstructions, such as Pangaea B, may reconcile poles from Laurussia with Australian poles in the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian, no plausible reconstruction can bring the Early Triassic poles into agreement. This suggests that persistent departures from a pure dipole field may have been present in the Early Triassic. Lesser, but still significant, non-dipole effects may also have been present during the Late Carboniferous and Permian, and may help resolve the Pangaea A versus B controversy, without requiring substantial attenuation of continental margins or intracontinental deformation. We suggest that the most parsimonious interpretation of the palaeomagnetic and geological information is that Laurussia and Gondwana remained in a Pangaea A2-type configuration through the Permian and Triassic. Discordance between the APWPs for these two supercontinents is attributable mainly to persistent non-dipole components of the geomagnetic field, which were most important in the Early Triassic.

  5. Impact of reconstruction methods and pathological factors on survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salah Binziad

    2013-01-01

    that predisposed to development of pancreatic leakage included male gender, preoperative albumin < 30g/dl, pre-operative hemoglobin < 10g/dl and non PJ-duct to mucosa type of reconstruction. The ampullary cancers presented at an earlier stage and had a better prognosis than pancreatic cancer and cholangiocarcinoma. Early stage (I and II, negative surgical margin, well and moderate differentiation and absence of lymph node involvement significantly predicted for longer survival. Conclusions: PJ duct-to-mucosa anastomosis was safe, caused least pancreatic leakage and least blood loss compared with the other methods of reconstruction and was associated with early return back to home and prolonged disease free and overall survival.

  6. Elbow Reconstruction Using Island Flap for Burn Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gi Yeun Hur

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundDeep burns of the elbow lead to soft tissue necrosis and infection, with exposure of deep structures. Adequate wound coverage of this area requires thin, pliable, and durable tissue, while optimal functional recovery requires early coverage and functional rehabilitation. We have found 3 types of island flaps that provide reliable coverage for the elbow.MethodsA retrospective study was performed on all patients who underwent flap coverage of an elbow defect at our hospital. The patients' data including age, sex, cause of injury, wound dimensions, timing of flap coverage, postoperative elbow motion, and complications were investigated.ResultsBetween 2001 and 2012, 16 patients were treated at our hospital. The mean age was 53.3 years. Three kinds of flaps were performed: 9 latissimus dorsi flaps, 4 lateral arm flaps, and 4 radial forearm flaps. The average defect size was 183.5 cm2 (range, 28 to 670 cm2. Wound coverage was performed at mean duration of 45.9 days (range, 14 to 91 days. The mean postoperative active elbow flexion was 98° (range, 85° to 115°. Partial flap failure occurred in 1 latissimus dorsi flap. Minor complications included partial flap loss (11.8%, hematoma (23.5%, seroma (35.3%, and wound infection (5.9%.ConclusionsFlap selection for elbow reconstruction is determined by the defect size and the extent of the adjacent tissue injury. Elbow reconstruction using an island flap is a single-staged, reliable, and relatively simple procedure that permits initiation of early rehabilitation, thereby improving a patient's functional outcome.

  7. Elbow Reconstruction Using Island Flap for Burn Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gi Yeun Hur

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Background Deep burns of the elbow lead to soft tissue necrosis and infection, with exposureof deep structures. Adequate wound coverage of this area requires thin, pliable, and durabletissue, while optimal functional recovery requires early coverage and functional rehabilitation.We have found 3 types of island flaps that provide reliable coverage for the elbow.Methods A retrospective study was performed on all patients who underwent flap coverageof an elbow defect at our hospital. The patients’ data including age, sex, cause of injury, wounddimensions, timing of flap coverage, postoperative elbow motion, and complications wereinvestigated.Results Between 2001 and 2012, 16 patients were treated at our hospital. The mean agewas 53.3 years. Three kinds of flaps were performed: 9 latissimus dorsi flaps, 4 lateral armflaps, and 4 radial forearm flaps. The average defect size was 183.5 cm2 (range, 28 to 670cm2. Wound coverage was performed at mean duration of 45.9 days (range, 14 to 91 days.The mean postoperative active elbow flexion was 98° (range, 85° to 115°. Partial flap failureoccurred in 1 latissimus dorsi flap. Minor complications included partial flap loss (11.8%,hematoma (23.5%, seroma (35.3%, and wound infection (5.9%.Conclusions Flap selection for elbow reconstruction is determined by the defect size andthe extent of the adjacent tissue injury. Elbow reconstruction using an island flap is a singlestaged,reliable, and relatively simple procedure that permits initiation of early rehabilitation,thereby improving a patient’s functional outcome.

  8. Incomplete projection reconstruction of computed tomography based on the modified discrete algebraic reconstruction technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Fuqiang; Zhang, Dinghua; Huang, Kuidong; Gao, Zongzhao; Yang, YaFei

    2018-02-01

    Based on the discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART), this study aims to address and test a new improved algorithm applied to incomplete projection data to generate a high quality reconstruction image by reducing the artifacts and noise in computed tomography. For the incomplete projections, an augmented Lagrangian based on compressed sensing is first used in the initial reconstruction for segmentation of the DART to get higher contrast graphics for boundary and non-boundary pixels. Then, the block matching 3D filtering operator was used to suppress the noise and to improve the gray distribution of the reconstructed image. Finally, simulation studies on the polychromatic spectrum were performed to test the performance of the new algorithm. Study results show a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and average gradients (AGs) of the images reconstructed from incomplete data. The SNRs and AGs of the new images reconstructed by DART-ALBM were on average 30%-40% and 10% higher than the images reconstructed by DART algorithms. Since the improved DART-ALBM algorithm has a better robustness to limited-view reconstruction, which not only makes the edge of the image clear but also makes the gray distribution of non-boundary pixels better, it has the potential to improve image quality from incomplete projections or sparse projections.

  9. BES-II fast data reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rong Gang; Zhang Jiawen; Guo Yiqing; Zhang Shaoqiang; Zhao Dixin

    2002-01-01

    The BES-II fast data reconstruction is reported. Based on PC FARM and/or a 'Distributed Clustered Linux PC System', BES-II fast data reconstruction system is set up. With this system the BES-II data can be fully reconstructed in about 20 minutes after data collection. It takes only 12 minutes to fully reconstruct 30000 events, collected with BES-II detector at BEPC Collider, with a P III-800 PC. The detector performance can be examined based on fully reconstructed data in about 20 minutes after data taking in the BES-II experiment

  10. All-optical photoacoustic imaging and detection of early-stage dental caries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampathkumar, Ashwin; Hughes, David A.; Longbottom, Chris; Kirk, Katherine J.

    2015-02-01

    Dental caries remain one of the most common oral diseases in the world. Current detection methods, such as dental explorer and X-ray radiography, suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity at the earliest (and reversible) stages of the disease because of the small size (tooth decay. This AOPAI system provides a non-contact, non-invasive and non-ionizing means of detecting early-stage dental caries. Ex-vivo teeth exhibiting early-stage, white-spot lesions were imaged using AOPAI. Experimental scans targeted each early-stage lesion and a reference healthy enamel region. Photoacoustic (PA) signals were generated in the tooth using a 532-nm pulsed laser and the light-induced broadband ultrasound signal was detected at the surface of the tooth with an optical path-stabilized Michelson interferometer operating at 532 nm. The measured time-domain signal was spatially resolved and back-projected to form 2D and 3D maps of the lesion using k-wave reconstruction methods. Experimental data collected from areas of healthy and diseased enamel indicate that the lesion generated a larger PA response compared to healthy enamel. The PA-signal amplitude alone was able to detect a lesion on the surface of the tooth. However, time- reversal reconstructions of the PA scans also quantitatively depicted the depth of the lesion. 3D PA reconstruction of the diseased tooth indicated a sub-surface lesion at a depth of 0.6 mm, in addition to the surface lesion. These results suggest that our AOPAI system is well suited for rapid clinical assessment of early-stage dental caries. An overview of the AOPAI system, fine-resolution PA and histology results of diseased and healthy teeth will be presented.

  11. [Postoperative management of partial or reconstructive pharyngo-laryngectomies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monziols, F; Verhulst, J; Lenoir, J L; Alix, M; Larricque, J; Krispel, N

    1995-01-01

    The multidisciplinary management of patients following pharyngolaryngeal surgery is an essential condition for its functional and socio-professional success. Early, overall rehabilitation, geared to each type of exeresis and to the personality of each patient, will enable both the voice and swallowing to regain their autonomy. A series of 195 patients after partial or reconstructive laryngectomy or pharyngectomy is analysed. The maintenance of a functional crico-arytenoid unity, the preservation of the mucosal sensitivity, the establishment of a facilitating posture and the dynamisation of the neoglottic sphincter are all equally important elements requiring the mobilisation of the entire health care team.

  12. Historical reconstruction of storms in the West of France in the early Little Ice Age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Athimon, Emmanuelle; Maanan, Mohamed

    2016-04-01

    This research offers to : 1) identify, as accurately as possible, the storms and the coastal flooding in the early Little Ice Age, 2) expose their impacts on the environment and populations, 3) query the « resilience » and adaptation of medieval and modern coastal societies in the West of France by presenting their perceptions and reactions. The space-time frame of the study is located in France, from Brittany to Gascony, between the xivth and the xvith century. Sensitive and brittle, this area is regularly battered by violent winds. It also undergoes episodic sea flooding that can cause ruptures of balance. Hence, the historical reconstruction and analysis of storms and coastal flooding in a long period appear fundamental. A thorough knowledge of past meteo-marine hazards allows to recreate a link with the territory, particularly through the (re)construction of an effective memory of these phenomena. This process is essential however difficult because of many documentary gaps. They are due to historical contingencies such as wars, French Revolution, or archival disasters like the fire of the Chamber of Accounts in Paris in 1737. Many limits must also be taken into account and discussed as inaccurate dates, exaggerated or undervalued descriptions, strict spatial demarcation almost impossible to achieve for the xivth-xvith centuries. Furthermore, during this period, no death toll, material and economic balance was done after a climate disaster. Yet, many historical records - especially narrative sources, books of accounts or cities repairs - expose the impacts of storms and marine submersion on agriculture, environment, infrastructures, etc. For instance, a violent storm hit the coast on June 24th 1452. It washed away part of the roof of a castle on Noirmoutier island and knocked down the bell towers of two churches in Angers. Storms and sea flooding have affected activities, constructions and populations' lives. They have therefore forced societies to adapt

  13. Speed, not magnitude, of knee extensor torque production is associated with self-reported knee function early after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Chao-Jung; Indelicato, Peter A; Moser, Michael W; Vandenborne, Krista; Chmielewski, Terese L

    2015-11-01

    To examine the magnitude and speed of knee extensor torque production at the initiation of advanced anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction rehabilitation and the associations with self-reported knee function. Twenty-eight subjects who were 12 weeks post-ACL reconstruction and 28 age- and sex-matched physically active controls participated in this study. Knee extensor torque was assessed bilaterally with an isokinetic dynamometer at 60°/s. The variables of interest were peak torque, average rate of torque development, time to peak torque and quadriceps symmetry index. Knee function was assessed with the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (IKDC-SKF). Peak torque and average rate of torque development were lower on the surgical side compared to the non-surgical side and controls. Quadriceps symmetry index was lower in subjects with ACL reconstruction compared to controls. On the surgical side, average rate of torque development was positively correlated with IKDC-SKF score (r = 0.379) while time to peak torque was negatively correlated with IKDC-SKF score (r = -0.407). At the initiation of advanced ACL reconstruction rehabilitation, the surgical side displayed deficits in peak torque and average rate of torque development. A higher rate of torque development and shorter time to peak torque were associated with better self-reported knee function. The results suggest that the rate of torque development should be addressed during advanced ACL reconstruction rehabilitation and faster knee extensor torque generation may lead to better knee function. III.

  14. Complex Foot Injury: Early and Definite Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schepers, Tim; Rammelt, Stefan

    2017-03-01

    Complex foot injuries occur infrequently, but are life-changing events. They often present with other injuries as the result of a high-energy trauma. After initial stabilization, early assessment should be regarding salvagability. All treatment strategies are intensive. The initial treatment includes prevention of progression ischemia/necrosis, prevention of infection, and considering salvage or amputation. Definitive treatment for salvage includes anatomic reconstruction with stable internal fixation and early soft tissue coverage followed by aggressive rehabilitation. Prognosis after complex injuries is hard to predict. The various stages of the treatment are reviewed and recommendations are made. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolić Dragan

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Numerous papers on reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee (ACL contribute to the significance of this method. The aim of this study was to analyze the outcome of the use of this surgical treatment method regardless the type of surgical intervention, graft, and the choice of the material for fixing. Methods. The study included 324 patients treated within the period from April 1997 to April 2004. Arthroscopically assisted ACL reconstruction was typically performed using the central one-third of the patellar ligament, as a graft, with bone blocks. Fixing was performed using screws (spongy or interferential, Mitek type. In the cases who required revision of the surgery, we used a graft m. semitendinosus and m. gracilise (STG or a graft of the patellar ligament (B-Pt-B. Fixation in these cases was performed using absorptive wedges according to the Rigidfix technique or metallic implants. Results. The analysis included the results of the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee (B-Pt-B or STG graft in 139 of the knees. Chronic injuries were revealed in 132 (94.9% of the knees. According to the anamnesis and clinical findings, the feeling of instability prevailed in 132 (94.9% of the knees, pain in 72 (51.7%, effluents in 24 (17.2%, and blockages in 13 (9.3%. Early and late postoperative complications were noticeable in 3.5% each. Hypotrophy of the upper knee musculature up to 2 cm was present in 53.9% of the operated knees, while minor contractions in 13.6% of them. The final result of the reconstruction graded begusing the Lysholm Scale was 85.2, simultaneous reconstructions of other ligaments 75.3, and revision surgery 68.0. First-grade degenerative postoperative changes according to the K/L Scale were found in 55.0% of the surgically treated knees, while the worst, four-grade one in 2.5%. Conclusion. On the basis of these findings, we can conclude that this method is the method of choice in

  16. Simplified one-orifice venoplasty for middle hepatic vein reconstruction in adult living donor liver transplantation using right lobe grafts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Joo Dong; Choi, Dong Lak; Han, Young Seok

    2014-05-01

    Middle hepatic vein (MHV) reconstruction is often essential to avoid hepatic congestion and serious graft dysfunction in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The aim of this report was to introduce evolution of our MHV reconstruction technique and excellent outcomes of simplified one-orifice venoplasty. We compared clinical outcomes with two reconstruction techniques through retrospective review of 95 recipients who underwent LDLT using right lobe grafts at our institution from January 2008 to April 2012; group 1 received separate outflow reconstruction and group 2 received new one-orifice technique. The early patency rates of MHV in group 2 were higher than those in group 1; 98.4% vs. 88.2% on postoperative day 7 (p = 0.054) and 96.7% vs. 82.4% on postoperative day 14, respectively (p = 0.023). Right hepatic vein (RHV) stenosis developed in three cases in group 1, but no RHV stenosis developed because we adopted one-orifice technique (p = 0.043). The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in group 2 were significantly lower than those in group 1 during the early post-transplant period. In conclusion, our simplified one-orifice venoplasty technique could secure venous outflow and improve graft function during right lobe LDLT. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Multi-century cool- and warm-season rainfall reconstructions for Australia's major climatic regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freund, Mandy; Henley, Benjamin J.; Karoly, David J.; Allen, Kathryn J.; Baker, Patrick J.

    2017-11-01

    Australian seasonal rainfall is strongly affected by large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate influences. In this study, we exploit the links between these precipitation influences, regional rainfall variations, and palaeoclimate proxies in the region to reconstruct Australian regional rainfall between four and eight centuries into the past. We use an extensive network of palaeoclimate records from the Southern Hemisphere to reconstruct cool (April-September) and warm (October-March) season rainfall in eight natural resource management (NRM) regions spanning the Australian continent. Our bi-seasonal rainfall reconstruction aligns well with independent early documentary sources and existing reconstructions. Critically, this reconstruction allows us, for the first time, to place recent observations at a bi-seasonal temporal resolution into a pre-instrumental context, across the entire continent of Australia. We find that recent 30- and 50-year trends towards wetter conditions in tropical northern Australia are highly unusual in the multi-century context of our reconstruction. Recent cool-season drying trends in parts of southern Australia are very unusual, although not unprecedented, across the multi-century context. We also use our reconstruction to investigate the spatial and temporal extent of historical drought events. Our reconstruction reveals that the spatial extent and duration of the Millennium Drought (1997-2009) appears either very much below average or unprecedented in southern Australia over at least the last 400 years. Our reconstruction identifies a number of severe droughts over the past several centuries that vary widely in their spatial footprint, highlighting the high degree of diversity in historical droughts across the Australian continent. We document distinct characteristics of major droughts in terms of their spatial extent, duration, intensity, and seasonality. Compared to the three largest droughts in the instrumental period (Federation Drought

  18. Multi-century cool- and warm-season rainfall reconstructions for Australia's major climatic regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Freund

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Australian seasonal rainfall is strongly affected by large-scale ocean–atmosphere climate influences. In this study, we exploit the links between these precipitation influences, regional rainfall variations, and palaeoclimate proxies in the region to reconstruct Australian regional rainfall between four and eight centuries into the past. We use an extensive network of palaeoclimate records from the Southern Hemisphere to reconstruct cool (April–September and warm (October–March season rainfall in eight natural resource management (NRM regions spanning the Australian continent. Our bi-seasonal rainfall reconstruction aligns well with independent early documentary sources and existing reconstructions. Critically, this reconstruction allows us, for the first time, to place recent observations at a bi-seasonal temporal resolution into a pre-instrumental context, across the entire continent of Australia. We find that recent 30- and 50-year trends towards wetter conditions in tropical northern Australia are highly unusual in the multi-century context of our reconstruction. Recent cool-season drying trends in parts of southern Australia are very unusual, although not unprecedented, across the multi-century context. We also use our reconstruction to investigate the spatial and temporal extent of historical drought events. Our reconstruction reveals that the spatial extent and duration of the Millennium Drought (1997–2009 appears either very much below average or unprecedented in southern Australia over at least the last 400 years. Our reconstruction identifies a number of severe droughts over the past several centuries that vary widely in their spatial footprint, highlighting the high degree of diversity in historical droughts across the Australian continent. We document distinct characteristics of major droughts in terms of their spatial extent, duration, intensity, and seasonality. Compared to the three largest droughts in the instrumental

  19. Aesthetic refinements and reoperative procedures following 370 consecutive DIEP and SIEA flap breast reconstructions: important considerations for patient consent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enajat, Morteza; Smit, Jeroen M; Rozen, Warren M; Hartman, Ed H M; Liss, Anders; Kildal, Morten; Audolfsson, Thorir; Acosta, Rafael

    2010-06-01

    Breast reconstruction often requires multiple operations. In addition to potential complications requiring reoperation, additional procedures are frequently essential in order to complete the reconstructive process, with aesthetic outcome and breast symmetry shown to be the most important factors in patient satisfaction. Despite the importance of these reoperations in decision-making and the consent process, a thorough review of the need for such operations has not been definitively explored. A review of 370 consecutive autologous breast reconstructions (326 patients) was undertaken, comprising 365 deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flaps and 5 superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flaps. The need for additional procedures for either complications or aesthetic refinement following initial breast reconstruction was assessed. Overall, there was an average of 1.06 additional interventions for every patient carried out after primary reconstructive surgery. Of 326 patients, 46 underwent early postoperative operations for surgical complications (0.17 additional operations per patient as a consequence of complications). Procedures for aesthetic refinement included those performed on the reconstructed breast, contralateral breast, or abdominal donor site. Procedures for aesthetic refinement included nipple reconstruction, nipple-areola complex tattooing, dog-ear correction, liposuction, lipofilling, scar revision, mastopexy, and reduction mammaplasty. While DIEP flap surgery for breast reconstruction provides favorable results, patients frequently require additional procedures to improve aesthetic outcomes. The need for reoperation is an important part of the consent process prior to reconstructive surgery, and patients should recognize the likelihood of at least one additional procedure following initial reconstruction.

  20. Statistical iterative reconstruction to improve image quality for digital breast tomosynthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Shiyu; Chen, Ying; Lu, Jianping; Zhou, Otto

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is a novel modality with the potential to improve early detection of breast cancer by providing three-dimensional (3D) imaging with a low radiation dose. 3D image reconstruction presents some challenges: cone-beam and flat-panel geometry, and highly incomplete sampling. A promising means to overcome these challenges is statistical iterative reconstruction (IR), since it provides the flexibility of accurate physics modeling and a general description of system geometry. The authors’ goal was to develop techniques for applying statistical IR to tomosynthesis imaging data. Methods: These techniques include the following: a physics model with a local voxel-pair based prior with flexible parameters to fine-tune image quality; a precomputed parameter λ in the prior, to remove data dependence and to achieve a uniform resolution property; an effective ray-driven technique to compute the forward and backprojection; and an oversampled, ray-driven method to perform high resolution reconstruction with a practical region-of-interest technique. To assess the performance of these techniques, the authors acquired phantom data on the stationary DBT prototype system. To solve the estimation problem, the authors proposed an optimization-transfer based algorithm framework that potentially allows fewer iterations to achieve an acceptably converged reconstruction. Results: IR improved the detectability of low-contrast and small microcalcifications, reduced cross-plane artifacts, improved spatial resolution, and lowered noise in reconstructed images. Conclusions: Although the computational load remains a significant challenge for practical development, the superior image quality provided by statistical IR, combined with advancing computational techniques, may bring benefits to screening, diagnostics, and intraoperative imaging in clinical applications

  1. Statistical iterative reconstruction to improve image quality for digital breast tomosynthesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Shiyu, E-mail: shiyu.xu@gmail.com; Chen, Ying, E-mail: adachen@siu.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois 62901 (United States); Lu, Jianping; Zhou, Otto [Department of Physics and Astronomy and Curriculum in Applied Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States)

    2015-09-15

    Purpose: Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is a novel modality with the potential to improve early detection of breast cancer by providing three-dimensional (3D) imaging with a low radiation dose. 3D image reconstruction presents some challenges: cone-beam and flat-panel geometry, and highly incomplete sampling. A promising means to overcome these challenges is statistical iterative reconstruction (IR), since it provides the flexibility of accurate physics modeling and a general description of system geometry. The authors’ goal was to develop techniques for applying statistical IR to tomosynthesis imaging data. Methods: These techniques include the following: a physics model with a local voxel-pair based prior with flexible parameters to fine-tune image quality; a precomputed parameter λ in the prior, to remove data dependence and to achieve a uniform resolution property; an effective ray-driven technique to compute the forward and backprojection; and an oversampled, ray-driven method to perform high resolution reconstruction with a practical region-of-interest technique. To assess the performance of these techniques, the authors acquired phantom data on the stationary DBT prototype system. To solve the estimation problem, the authors proposed an optimization-transfer based algorithm framework that potentially allows fewer iterations to achieve an acceptably converged reconstruction. Results: IR improved the detectability of low-contrast and small microcalcifications, reduced cross-plane artifacts, improved spatial resolution, and lowered noise in reconstructed images. Conclusions: Although the computational load remains a significant challenge for practical development, the superior image quality provided by statistical IR, combined with advancing computational techniques, may bring benefits to screening, diagnostics, and intraoperative imaging in clinical applications.

  2. Early tumour detection: a transillumination, time-resolved technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Behin-Ain, S.; Van Doorn, T.; Patterson, J.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: Research into transillumination techniques for the detection of tumours in soft tissue has been ongoing for over 70 years. The resolution and contrast, however, remain severely limited by scatter. Single photon detection techniques, with ideally infinite extinction coefficients, have been proposed to accumulate sub-hertz photon transmitted frequencies in the early part of a transmitted pulse. Computer based simulations have been undertaken to examine the theoretical performance requirements of the detector and the resultant image qualities that may be expected with this imaging technique. This paper reports on the computational techniques required for implementing these simulations in an efficient manner. Controlled Monte Carlo (CMC) and Convolution of Layers (CL) techniques were employed to constrain the photon to those having more chance of detection and hence enhance the detection statistics. Extrapolation techniques are proposed to reconstruct the early part of the temporal profile. Computational methods were implemented to evaluate Path Integrals, which are otherwise overly complex to evaluate. CMC and CL reduce the computational time by more than 10 orders of magnitude by only tracking those photons more likely to reach the detector. In the case of an optically thick medium with high scattering coefficient, extrapolation techniques are used to reconstruct the early part of temporal profile. Analytical solutions were found to be too involved for the simplest geometries. However the CL and implementation of computational techniques make Path integrals a useful analytical tool to compliment full Monte Carlo techniques. Results have shown that these methods collectively enable detection of small inhomogeneites within soft tissues. Reduced computation times and full reconstruction of the temporal profile of transmitted photons through optically thick medium enable fast simulations of single photon detectors to be achieved with the above described

  3. Reconstructions of Columbia River streamflow from tree-ring chronologies in the Pacific Northwest, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Littell, Jeremy; Pederson, Gregory T.; Gray, Stephen T.; Tjoelker, Michael; Hamlet, Alan F.; Woodhouse, Connie A.

    2016-01-01

    We developed Columbia River streamflow reconstructions using a network of existing, new, and updated tree-ring records sensitive to the main climatic factors governing discharge. Reconstruction quality is enhanced by incorporating tree-ring chronologies where high snowpack limits growth, which better represent the contribution of cool-season precipitation to flow than chronologies from trees positively sensitive to hydroclimate alone. The best performing reconstruction (back to 1609 CE) explains 59% of the historical variability and the longest reconstruction (back to 1502 CE) explains 52% of the variability. Droughts similar to the high-intensity, long-duration low flows observed during the 1920s and 1940s are rare, but occurred in the early 1500s and 1630s-1640s. The lowest Columbia flow events appear to be reflected in chronologies both positively and negatively related to streamflow, implying low snowpack and possibly low warm-season precipitation. High flows of magnitudes observed in the instrumental record appear to have been relatively common, and high flows from the 1680s to 1740s exceeded the magnitude and duration of observed wet periods in the late-19th and 20th Century. Comparisons between the Columbia River reconstructions and future projections of streamflow derived from global climate and hydrologic models show the potential for increased hydrologic variability, which could present challenges for managing water in the face of competing demands

  4. Daily Serum Collection after Acellular Dermal Matrix-Assisted Breast Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glenda Giorgia Caputo

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundThe acellular dermal matrix (ADM-assisted breast reconstruction technique is widely known, but discouraging results due to early postoperative complications have been reported. As the literature identifies seroma as the most common issue after breast surgery without identifying its pathogenesis, we aimed to report the trend of postoperative daily serum collection after ADM-assisted breast reconstruction and compare it with data in the literature in order to discover more about this little-known topic.MethodsA retrospective study on 28 consecutive patients who received ADM-assisted breast reconstruction between February 2013 and February 2014 was performed. In order to reduce the number of variables that could affect serum production, only one brand of ADM was used and all tissues were handled gently and precisely. The daily drainage volume was recorded per patient during the first four days of hospitalization. Likewise, postoperative complications were noted during routine follow-up.ResultsIn total, five (17.9% bilateral and 23 (82.1% unilateral ADM-assisted breast reconstructions (33 implants were performed. The mean age, body mass index, and length of hospital stay were 53.6 years, 21.3 kg/m2, and 4.5 days, respectively. One major complication led to implant loss (3.0%, and nine minor complications were successfully treated with ambulatory surgery (27.3%. Serum collection linearly decreased after 24 hours postoperatively.ConclusionsDaily drainage decreased following the theoretical decline of acute inflammation. In concordance with the literature, daily serum production may not be related to the use of ADM.

  5. Implant salvage in breast reconstruction with severe peri-prosthetic infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meybodi, Farid; Sedaghat, Negin; French, James; Keighley, Caitlin; Mitchell, David; Elder, Elisabeth

    2017-12-01

    Although treatment of mild peri-prosthetic infection in implant-based breast reconstruction results in high rates of resolution, successful management of severe peri-prosthetic infection remains a significant challenge. In this case series, a protocol utilizing a novel dressing - negative pressure wound therapy with instillation (NPWTi) - for the management of severe peri-prosthetic infection in breast reconstruction patients is described. This is an operative technique involving: (i) explantation of the breast prosthesis and application of the NPWTi dressing to the implant pocket; (ii) change of the NPWTi dressing; (iii) intraoperative fluid/tissue cultures; and (iv) reimplantation of the breast prosthesis when cultures yield no growth. This protocol was utilized in six cases of severe peri-prosthetic infection in five patients with immediate breast reconstruction for breast cancer or risk-reducing surgery. Cultures of fluid/tissue grew typical and/or unusual organisms. Only one case did not yield an organism. The hospital length of stay upon completion of the protocol ranged from 7-16 days (mean, 12 days). Successful implant salvage was achieved in five of six cases. The protocol was aborted in one case to allow for completion of adjuvant chemotherapy. Early findings from this case series suggest that in cases of severe peri-prosthetic infection this novel operative protocol may result in successful implant salvage for breast reconstruction patients. Further studies are needed to more fully elaborate the role of NPWTi to achieve implant salvage in challenging cases of peri-prosthetic infection. © 2015 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  6. Longitudinal analysis of tibiofemoral cartilage contact area and position in ACL reconstructed patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ellison; Amano, Keiko; Pedoia, Valentina; Souza, Richard B; Ma, C Benjamin; Li, Xiaojuan

    2018-04-18

    Patients who have suffered ACL injury are more likely to develop early onset post-traumatic osteoarthritis despite reconstruction. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the longitudinal changes in the tibiofemoral cartilage contact area size and location after ACL injury and reconstruction. Thirty-one patients with isolated unilateral ACL injury were followed with T 2 weighted Fast Spin Echo, T 1ρ and T 2 MRI at baseline prior to reconstruction, and 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. Areas were delineated in FSE images with an in-house Matlab program using a spline-based semi-automated segmentation algorithm. Tibiofemoral contact area and centroid position along the anterior-posterior axis were calculated along with T 1ρ and T 2 relaxation times on both the injured and non-injured knees. At baseline, the injured knees had significantly smaller and more posteriorly positioned contact areas on the medial tibial surface compared to corresponding healthy knees. These differences persisted 6 months after reconstruction. Moreover, subjects with more anterior medial centroid positions at 6 months had elevated T 1ρ and T 2 measures in the posterior medial tibial plateau at 1 year. Changes in contact area and centroid position after ACL injury and reconstruction may characterize some of the mechanical factors contributing to post-traumatic osteoarthritis. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. The use of strontium and barium analyses for the reconstruction of the diet of the early medieval coastal population of Gdańsk (Poland): A preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szostek, Krzysztof; Głab, Henryk; Pudło, Aleksandra

    2009-01-01

    Barium and strontium analyses yield an important perspective on temporal shifts in diet in relation to social and environmental circumstances. This research focuses on reconstructing dietary strategies of individuals in the early medieval (12-13th century) population of Gdańsk on the coast of the Baltic Sea. To describe these strategies where seafood rich in minerals was included in the diet, levels of strontium, barium, calcium and phosphorus were measured in first permanent molars of adult men and women whose remains were excavated from the churchyard in the city centre. Faunal remains from the excavation were analysed as an environmental background with respect to the content of the above-mentioned elements. The impact of diagenesis on the odontological material under study was also determined by an analysis of the soil derived from the grave and non-grave surroundings. For verification of diagenetic processes, the calcium/phosphorus index was used. Strontium, calcium, phosphorus and barium levels were determined with the spectrophotometric method using the latest generation plasma spectrophotometer Elan 6100 ICP-MS. From the results of the analysis of taphonomic parameters such as the soil pH, potential ion exchange in the grave surroundings and the Ca/P ratio, it can be inferred that diagenetic factors had little impact on the studied material. From this pilot study we can conclude that in the early Middle Ages in the Baltic Sea basin, seafood was included in the diet from early childhood and at the same time the diet contained calcium-rich milk products (also rich in minerals). The lack of sex differences may indicate the absence of a sex-specific nutritional strategy in childhood and early adolescence.

  8. Hybrid spectral CT reconstruction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darin P Clark

    Full Text Available Current photon counting x-ray detector (PCD technology faces limitations associated with spectral fidelity and photon starvation. One strategy for addressing these limitations is to supplement PCD data with high-resolution, low-noise data acquired with an energy-integrating detector (EID. In this work, we propose an iterative, hybrid reconstruction technique which combines the spectral properties of PCD data with the resolution and signal-to-noise characteristics of EID data. Our hybrid reconstruction technique is based on an algebraic model of data fidelity which substitutes the EID data into the data fidelity term associated with the PCD reconstruction, resulting in a joint reconstruction problem. Within the split Bregman framework, these data fidelity constraints are minimized subject to additional constraints on spectral rank and on joint intensity-gradient sparsity measured between the reconstructions of the EID and PCD data. Following a derivation of the proposed technique, we apply it to the reconstruction of a digital phantom which contains realistic concentrations of iodine, barium, and calcium encountered in small-animal micro-CT. The results of this experiment suggest reliable separation and detection of iodine at concentrations ≥ 5 mg/ml and barium at concentrations ≥ 10 mg/ml in 2-mm features for EID and PCD data reconstructed with inherent spatial resolutions of 176 μm and 254 μm, respectively (point spread function, FWHM. Furthermore, hybrid reconstruction is demonstrated to enhance spatial resolution within material decomposition results and to improve low-contrast detectability by as much as 2.6 times relative to reconstruction with PCD data only. The parameters of the simulation experiment are based on an in vivo micro-CT experiment conducted in a mouse model of soft-tissue sarcoma. Material decomposition results produced from this in vivo data demonstrate the feasibility of distinguishing two K-edge contrast agents with

  9. Hybrid spectral CT reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Darin P.

    2017-01-01

    Current photon counting x-ray detector (PCD) technology faces limitations associated with spectral fidelity and photon starvation. One strategy for addressing these limitations is to supplement PCD data with high-resolution, low-noise data acquired with an energy-integrating detector (EID). In this work, we propose an iterative, hybrid reconstruction technique which combines the spectral properties of PCD data with the resolution and signal-to-noise characteristics of EID data. Our hybrid reconstruction technique is based on an algebraic model of data fidelity which substitutes the EID data into the data fidelity term associated with the PCD reconstruction, resulting in a joint reconstruction problem. Within the split Bregman framework, these data fidelity constraints are minimized subject to additional constraints on spectral rank and on joint intensity-gradient sparsity measured between the reconstructions of the EID and PCD data. Following a derivation of the proposed technique, we apply it to the reconstruction of a digital phantom which contains realistic concentrations of iodine, barium, and calcium encountered in small-animal micro-CT. The results of this experiment suggest reliable separation and detection of iodine at concentrations ≥ 5 mg/ml and barium at concentrations ≥ 10 mg/ml in 2-mm features for EID and PCD data reconstructed with inherent spatial resolutions of 176 μm and 254 μm, respectively (point spread function, FWHM). Furthermore, hybrid reconstruction is demonstrated to enhance spatial resolution within material decomposition results and to improve low-contrast detectability by as much as 2.6 times relative to reconstruction with PCD data only. The parameters of the simulation experiment are based on an in vivo micro-CT experiment conducted in a mouse model of soft-tissue sarcoma. Material decomposition results produced from this in vivo data demonstrate the feasibility of distinguishing two K-edge contrast agents with a spectral

  10. RECONSTRUCTION OF PRECIPITATION SERIES AND ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE OVER PAST 500 YEARS IN NORTHERN CHINA

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    RONG Yan-shu; TU Qi-pu

    2005-01-01

    It is important and necessary to get a much longer precipitation series in order to research features of drought/flood and climate change.Based on dryness and wetness grades series of 18 stations in Northern China of 533 years from 1470 to 2002, the Moving Cumulative Frequency Method (MCFM) was developed, moving average precipitation series from 1499 to 2002 were reconstructed by testing three kinds of average precipitation, and the features of climate change and dry and wet periods were researched by using reconstructed precipitation series in the present paper.The results showed that there were good relationship between the reconstructed precipitation series and the observation precipitation series since 1954 and their relative root-mean-square error were below 1.89%, that the relation between reconstructed series and the dryness and wetness grades series were nonlinear and this nonlinear relation implied that reconstructed series were reliable and could became foundation data for researching evolution of the drought and flood.Analysis of climate change upon reconstructed precipitation series revealed that although drought intensity of recent dry period from middle 1970s of 20th century until early 21st century was not the strongest in historical climate of Northern China, intensity and duration of wet period was a great deal decreasing and shortening respectively, climate evolve to aridification situation in Northern China.

  11. On Sound: Reconstructing a Zhuangzian Perspective of Music

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    So Jeong Park

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available A devotion to music in Chinese classical texts is worth noticing. Early Chinese thinkers saw music as a significant part of human experience and a core practice for philosophy. While Confucian endorsement of ritual and music has been discussed in the field, Daoist understanding of music was hardly explored. This paper will make a careful reading of the Xiánchí 咸池 music story in the Zhuangzi, one of the most interesting, but least noticed texts, and reconstruct a Zhuangzian perspective from it. While sounds had been regarded as mere building blocks of music and thus depreciated in the hierarchical understanding of music in the mainstream discourse of early China, sound is the alpha and omega of music in the Zhuangzian perspective. All kinds of sounds, both human and natural, are invited into musical discourse. Sound is regarded as the real source of our being moved by music, and therefore, musical consummation is depicted as embodiment through sound.

  12. Tomographic reconstruction by using FPSIRT (Fast Particle System Iterative Reconstruction Technique)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moreira, Icaro Valgueiro M.; Melo, Silvio de Barros; Dantas, Carlos; Lima, Emerson Alexandre; Silva, Ricardo Martins; Cardoso, Halisson Alberdan C., E-mail: ivmm@cin.ufpe.br, E-mail: sbm@cin.ufpe.br, E-mail: rmas@cin.ufpe.br, E-mail: hacc@cin.ufpe.br, E-mail: ccd@ufpe.br, E-mail: eal@cin.ufpe.br [Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE (Brazil)

    2015-07-01

    The PSIRT (Particle System Iterative Reconstruction Technique) is a method of tomographic image reconstruction primarily designed to work with configurations suitable for industrial applications. A particle system is an optimization technique inspired in real physical systems that associates to the reconstructing material a set of particles with certain physical features, subject to a force eld, which can produce movement. The system constantly updates the set of particles by repositioning them in such a way as to approach the equilibrium. The elastic potential along a trajectory is a function of the difference between the attenuation coefficient in the current configuration and the corresponding input data. PSIRT has been successfully used to reconstruct simulated and real objects subject to sets of parallel and fanbeam lines in different angles, representing typical gamma-ray tomographic arrangements. One of PSIRT's limitation was its performance, too slow for real time scenarios. In this work, it is presented a reformulation in PSIRT's computational model, which is able to grant the new algorithm, the FPSIRT - Fast System Iterative Reconstruction Technique, a performance up to 200-time faster than PSIRT's. In this work a comparison of their application to real and simulated data from the HSGT, High Speed Gamma Tomograph, is presented. (author)

  13. Tomographic reconstruction by using FPSIRT (Fast Particle System Iterative Reconstruction Technique)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moreira, Icaro Valgueiro M.; Melo, Silvio de Barros; Dantas, Carlos; Lima, Emerson Alexandre; Silva, Ricardo Martins; Cardoso, Halisson Alberdan C.

    2015-01-01

    The PSIRT (Particle System Iterative Reconstruction Technique) is a method of tomographic image reconstruction primarily designed to work with configurations suitable for industrial applications. A particle system is an optimization technique inspired in real physical systems that associates to the reconstructing material a set of particles with certain physical features, subject to a force eld, which can produce movement. The system constantly updates the set of particles by repositioning them in such a way as to approach the equilibrium. The elastic potential along a trajectory is a function of the difference between the attenuation coefficient in the current configuration and the corresponding input data. PSIRT has been successfully used to reconstruct simulated and real objects subject to sets of parallel and fanbeam lines in different angles, representing typical gamma-ray tomographic arrangements. One of PSIRT's limitation was its performance, too slow for real time scenarios. In this work, it is presented a reformulation in PSIRT's computational model, which is able to grant the new algorithm, the FPSIRT - Fast System Iterative Reconstruction Technique, a performance up to 200-time faster than PSIRT's. In this work a comparison of their application to real and simulated data from the HSGT, High Speed Gamma Tomograph, is presented. (author)

  14. A comparison of high-resolution pollen-inferred climate data from central Minnesota, USA, to 19th century US military fort climate data and tree-ring inferred climate reconstructions

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Jacques, J.; Cumming, B. F.; Sauchyn, D.; Vanstone, J. R.; Dickenson, J.; Smol, J. P.

    2013-12-01

    A vital component of paleoclimatology is the validation of paleoclimatological reconstructions. Unfortunately, there is scant instrumental data prior to the 20th century available for this. Hence, typically, we can only do long-term validation using other proxy-inferred climate reconstructions. Minnesota, USA, with its long military fort climate records beginning in 1820 and early dense network of climate stations, offers a rare opportunity for proxy validation. We compare a high-resolution (4-year), millennium-scale, pollen-inferred paleoclimate record derived from varved Lake Mina in central Minnesota to early military fort records and dendroclimatological records. When inferring a paleoclimate record from a pollen record, we rely upon the pollen-climate relationship being constant in time. However, massive human impacts have significantly altered vegetation; and the relationship between modern instrumental climate data and the modern pollen rain becomes altered from what it was in the past. In the Midwest, selective logging, fire suppression, deforestation and agriculture have strongly influenced the modern pollen rain since Euro-American settlement in the mid-1800s. We assess the signal distortion introduced by using the conventional method of modern post-settlement pollen and climate calibration sets to infer climate at Lake Mina from pre-settlement pollen data. Our first February and May temperature reconstructions are based on a pollen dataset contemporaneous with early settlement to which corresponding climate data from the earliest instrumental records has been added to produce a 'pre-settlement' calibration set. The second February and May temperature reconstructions are based on a conventional 'modern' pollen-climate dataset from core-top pollen samples and modern climate normals. The temperature reconstructions are then compared to the earliest instrumental records from Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and it is shown that the reconstructions based on the pre

  15. The evolving breast reconstruction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Jørn Bo; Gunnarsson, Gudjon Leifur

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this editorial is to give an update on the use of the propeller thoracodorsal artery perforator flap (TAP/TDAP-flap) within the field of breast reconstruction. The TAP-flap can be dissected by a combined use of a monopolar cautery and a scalpel. Microsurgical instruments are generally...... not needed. The propeller TAP-flap can be designed in different ways, three of these have been published: (I) an oblique upwards design; (II) a horizontal design; (III) an oblique downward design. The latissimus dorsi-flap is a good and reliable option for breast reconstruction, but has been criticized...... for oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgery and will certainly become an invaluable addition to breast reconstructive methods....

  16. Reconstructing see-saw models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibarra, Alejandro

    2007-01-01

    In this talk we discuss the prospects to reconstruct the high-energy see-saw Lagrangian from low energy experiments in supersymmetric scenarios. We show that the model with three right-handed neutrinos could be reconstructed in theory, but not in practice. Then, we discuss the prospects to reconstruct the model with two right-handed neutrinos, which is the minimal see-saw model able to accommodate neutrino observations. We identify the relevant processes to achieve this goal, and comment on the sensitivity of future experiments to them. We find the prospects much more promising and we emphasize in particular the importance of the observation of rare leptonic decays for the reconstruction of the right-handed neutrino masses

  17. A protocol of rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction using a hamstring autograft in the first month after surgery--a preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biernat, Ryszard; Wołosewicz, Mariusz; Tomaszewski, Wiesław

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to present a protocol of rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction using a hamstring autograft in the first month after surgery. The program enables the patient to return early to everyday activities (school, sedentary work) without crutches or a stabilizer. The program has been developed in accordance with rehabilitation protocols employed at Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Prof. Shelbourne's Clinic in the USA. The study group included 31 patients (18 men and 13 women). Patients rehabilitated in the Department according to our program achieved stable gait patterns and were able to step up and down within four to seven weeks. Early patient mobilization after ACL reconstruction is possible and does not cause any negative effects provided that the patient, doctor and physiotherapist cooperate very closely.

  18. Reconstructing mass balance of Garabashi Glacier (1800–2005 using dendrochronological data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. A. Dolgova

    2013-01-01

    reconstruction two distinct periods of positive mass balance occurred in 1830s and 1860s. They agree well with early historical data and the tree-ring of moraines of Kashkatash Glacier in Central Caucasus. 

  19. Pre-operative planning for mandibular reconstruction - A full digital planning workflow resulting in a patient specific reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Objectives Reconstruction of large mandiblular defects following ablative oncologic surgery could be done by using vascularized bone transfer or, more often, primarily with simultaneous or delayed bone grafting, using load bearing reconstruction plates. Bending of these reconstruction plates is typically directed along the outer contour of the original mandible. Simultaneously or in a second operation vascularized or non-vascularized bone is fixed to the reconstruction plate. However, the prosthodontic-driven backward planning to ease bony reconstruction of the mandible in terms of dental rehabilitation using implant-retained overdentures might be an eligible solution. The purpose of this work was to develop, establish and clinically evaluate a novel 3D planning procedure for mandibular reconstruction. Materials and methods Three patients with tumors involving the mandible, which included squamous cell carcinoma in the floor of the mouth and keratocystic odontogenic tumor, were treated surgically by hemimandibulectomy. Results In primary alloplastic mandible reconstruction, shape and size of the reconstruction plate could be predefined and prebent prior to surgery. Clinical relevance This study provides modern treatment strategies for mandibular reconstruction. PMID:21968330

  20. Reconstruction of emission coefficients for a non-axisymmetric coupling arc by algebraic reconstruction technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Guangjun; Xiong Jun; Gao Hongming; Wu Lin

    2011-01-01

    A preliminary investigation of tomographic reconstruction of an asymmetric arc plasma has been carried out. The objective of this work aims at reconstructing emission coefficients of a non-axisymmetric coupling arc from measured intensities by means of an algebraic reconstruction technique (ART). In order to define the optimal experimental scheme for good quality with limited views, the dependence of the reconstruction quality on three configurations (four, eight, ten projection angles) are presented and discussed via a displaced Gaussian model. Then, the emission coefficients of a free burning arc are reconstructed by the ART with the ten-view configuration and an Abel inversion, respectively, and good agreement is obtained. Finally, the emission coefficient profiles of the coupling arc are successfully achieved with the ten-view configuration. The results show that the distribution of emission coefficient for the coupling arc is different from centrosymmetric shape. The ART is perfectly suitable for reconstructing emission coefficients of the coupling arc with the ten-view configuration, proving the feasibility and utility of the ART to characterize an asymmetric arc.

  1. Complete Lower Lip Reconstruction with a Large Lip Switch Flap and a Composite Modiolus Advancement Flap

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gudjon L. Gunnarsson, MD

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Summary:. Total loss of the lower lip is debilitating and poses a reconstructive challenge. Aiming to restore oral continence and function and also cosmetic appearance, a successful reconstruction has a huge impact on the quality of life for the individual patient. Early sources of local tissue rearrangement for lip reconstruction date back 3000 years, with earliest reports of lip switch procedures more than 2 centuries ago in Europe, when noma was still endemic in Europe, indicating that the anatomy was better understood by the barber surgeons of the past than we like to acknowledge. We are still faced with such challenging cases all over the world where resources are limited. Our current understanding of perforator anatomy and blood supply makes more frequent revisits to flaps of the past with modern advances. Innovative solutions are imperative for salvage, and old ideas tend to reappear when they prove to be useful. Herein, we describe in open access a new reconstructive method where we combined a large lip switch flap together with a composite advancement modiolus flap to reconstruct a whole lower lip and the donor defect of the upper lip all at once, a procedure that is simple to perform and works in settings where it is greatly needed.

  2. Technical basis for dose reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anspaugh, L.R.

    1996-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to consider two general topics: Technical considerations of why dose-reconstruction studies should or should not be performed and methods of dose reconstruction. The first topic is of general and growing interest as the number of dose-reconstruction studies increases, and one asks the question whether it is necessary to perform a dose reconstruction for virtually every site at which, for example, the Department of Energy (DOE) has operated a nuclear-related facility. And there is the broader question of how one might logically draw the line at performing or not performing dose-reconstruction (radiological and chemical) studies for virtually every industrial complex in the entire country. The second question is also of general interest. There is no single correct way to perform a dose-reconstruction study, and it is important not to follow blindly a single method to the point that cheaper, faster, more accurate, and more transparent methods might not be developed and applied. 90 refs., 4 tabs

  3. Technical basis for dose reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anspaugh, L.R.

    1996-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to consider two general topics: technical considerations of why dose-reconstruction studies should or should not be performed and methods of dose reconstruction. The first topic is of general and growing interest as the number of dose-reconstruction studies increases, and one asks the question whether it is necessary to perform a dose reconstruction for virtually every site at which, for example, the Department of Energy (DOE) has operated a nuclear-related facility. And there is the broader question of how one might logically draw the line at performing or not performing dose-reconstruction (radiological and chemical) studies for virtually every industrial complex in the entire country. The second question is also of general interest. There is no single correct way to perform a dose-reconstruction study, and it is important not to follow blindly a single method to the point that cheaper, faster, more accurate, and more transparent methods might not be developed and applied

  4. Avascular necrosis in children with cerebral palsy after reconstructive hip surgery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, L.; Hesketh, K.; Schaeffer, E. K.; Andrade, J.; Farr, J.; Mulpuri, K.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Purpose Progressive hip displacement is one of the most common orthopaedic pathologies in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Reconstructive hip surgery has become the standard treatment of care. Reported avascular necrosis (AVN) rates for hip reconstructive surgery in these patients vary widely in the literature. The purpose of this study is to identify the frequency and associated risk factors of AVN for reconstructive hip procedures. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of 70 cases of reconstructive hip surgery in 47 children with CP, between 2009 and 2013. All 70 cases involved varus derotation osteotomy (VDRO), with 60% having combined VDRO and pelvic osteotomies (PO), and 21% requiring open reductions. Mean age at time of surgery was 8.82 years and 90% of patients were Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) 4 and 5. Radiographic dysplasia parameters were analysed at selected intervals, to a minimum of one year post-operatively. Severity of AVN was classified by Kruczynski's method. Bivar- iate statistical analysis was conducted using Chi-square test and Student's t-test. Results There were 19 (27%) noted cases of AVN, all radio- graphically identifiable within the first post-operative year. The majority of AVN cases (63%) were mild to moderate in severity. Pre-operative migration percentage (MP) (p = 0.0009) and post-operative change in MP (p = 0.002) were the most significant predictors of AVN. Other risk factors were: GMFCS level (p = 0.031), post-operative change in NSA (p = 0.02) and concomitant adductor tenotomy (0.028). Conclusion AVN was observed in 27% of patients. Severity of displacement correlates directly with AVN risk and we suggest that hip reconstruction, specifically VDRO, be performed early in the 'hip at risk' group to avoid this complication. PMID:29081846

  5. Avascular necrosis in children with cerebral palsy after reconstructive hip surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, L; Hesketh, K; Schaeffer, E K; Andrade, J; Farr, J; Mulpuri, K

    2017-10-01

    Progressive hip displacement is one of the most common orthopaedic pathologies in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Reconstructive hip surgery has become the standard treatment of care. Reported avascular necrosis (AVN) rates for hip reconstructive surgery in these patients vary widely in the literature. The purpose of this study is to identify the frequency and associated risk factors of AVN for reconstructive hip procedures. A retrospective analysis was performed of 70 cases of reconstructive hip surgery in 47 children with CP, between 2009 and 2013. All 70 cases involved varus derotation osteotomy (VDRO), with 60% having combined VDRO and pelvic osteotomies (PO), and 21% requiring open reductions. Mean age at time of surgery was 8.82 years and 90% of patients were Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) 4 and 5. Radiographic dysplasia parameters were analysed at selected intervals, to a minimum of one year post-operatively. Severity of AVN was classified by Kruczynski's method. Bivar- iate statistical analysis was conducted using Chi-square test and Student's t-test. There were 19 (27%) noted cases of AVN, all radio- graphically identifiable within the first post-operative year. The majority of AVN cases (63%) were mild to moderate in severity. Pre-operative migration percentage (MP) (p = 0.0009) and post-operative change in MP (p = 0.002) were the most significant predictors of AVN. Other risk factors were: GMFCS level (p = 0.031), post-operative change in NSA (p = 0.02) and concomitant adductor tenotomy (0.028). AVN was observed in 27% of patients. Severity of displacement correlates directly with AVN risk and we suggest that hip reconstruction, specifically VDRO, be performed early in the 'hip at risk' group to avoid this complication.

  6. Three-dimensional ICT reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Aidong; Li Ju; Chen Fa; Sun Lingxia

    2005-01-01

    The three-dimensional ICT reconstruction method is the hot topic of recent ICT technology research. In the context, qualified visual three-dimensional ICT pictures are achieved through multi-piece two-dimensional images accumulation by, combining with thresholding method and linear interpolation. Different direction and different position images of the reconstructed pictures are got by rotation and interception respectively. The convenient and quick method is significantly instructive to more complicated three-dimensional reconstruction of ICT images. (authors)

  7. Three-dimensional ICT reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Aidong; Li Ju; Chen Fa; Sun Lingxia

    2004-01-01

    The three-dimensional ICT reconstruction method is the hot topic of recent ICT technology research. In the context qualified visual three-dimensional ICT pictures are achieved through multi-piece two-dimensional images accumulation by order, combining with thresholding method and linear interpolation. Different direction and different position images of the reconstructed pictures are got by rotation and interception respectively. The convenient and quick method is significantly instructive to more complicated three-dimensional reconstruction of ICT images. (authors)

  8. Investigation of various reconstruction parameters for algebraic reconstruction technique in a newly developed chest digital tomosynthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, H.; Choi, S.; Kim, Y.-S.; Park, H.-S.; Seo, C.-W.; Kim, H.-J.; Lee, D.; Lee, Y.

    2017-01-01

    Chest digital tomosynthesis (CDT) is a promising new modality that provides 3D information by reconstructing limited projection views. CDT systems have been developed to improve the limitations of conventional radiography such as image degradation and low sensitivity. However, the development of reconstruction methods is challenging because of the limited projection views within various angular ranges. Optimization of reconstruction parameters for various reconsturction methods in CDT system also is needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) method, and to evaluate the effect of the reconstruction parameters for our newly developed CDT system. We designed ART method with 41 projection views over an angular range of ±20°. To investigate the effect of reconstruction parameters, we measured the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), artifact spread function (ASF), and quality factor (QF) using LUNGMAN phantom included tumors. We found that the proper choice of reconstruction parameters such as relaxation parameter, initial guess, and number of iterations improved the quality of reconstructed images from the same projection views. Optimal values of ART relaxation parameter with uniform (UI) and back-projection (BP) initial guesses were 0.4 and 0.6, respectively. BP initial guess improved image quality in comparison with UI initial guess, in terms of providing a higher CNR and QF values with a faster speed. CNR and QF values improved with increasing number of iteration. Particularly, ART method with BP initial guess (when β = 0.6) after 3-terations provide satisfactory reconstructed image. In conclusion, the use of ART method with proper reconstruction parameters provided better image quality than FBP method as well as conventional radiography. These results indicated that the ART method with optimal reconstruction parameters could improve image quality for nodule detection using the CDT system.

  9. Investigation of various reconstruction parameters for algebraic reconstruction technique in a newly developed chest digital tomosynthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, H.; Choi, S.; Lee, D.; Kim, Y.-s.; Park, H.-S.; Lee, Y.; Seo, C.-W.; Kim, H.-J.

    2017-08-01

    Chest digital tomosynthesis (CDT) is a promising new modality that provides 3D information by reconstructing limited projection views. CDT systems have been developed to improve the limitations of conventional radiography such as image degradation and low sensitivity. However, the development of reconstruction methods is challenging because of the limited projection views within various angular ranges. Optimization of reconstruction parameters for various reconsturction methods in CDT system also is needed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) method, and to evaluate the effect of the reconstruction parameters for our newly developed CDT system. We designed ART method with 41 projection views over an angular range of ±20°. To investigate the effect of reconstruction parameters, we measured the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), artifact spread function (ASF), and quality factor (QF) using LUNGMAN phantom included tumors. We found that the proper choice of reconstruction parameters such as relaxation parameter, initial guess, and number of iterations improved the quality of reconstructed images from the same projection views. Optimal values of ART relaxation parameter with uniform (UI) and back-projection (BP) initial guesses were 0.4 and 0.6, respectively. BP initial guess improved image quality in comparison with UI initial guess, in terms of providing a higher CNR and QF values with a faster speed. CNR and QF values improved with increasing number of iteration. Particularly, ART method with BP initial guess (when β = 0.6) after 3-terations provide satisfactory reconstructed image. In conclusion, the use of ART method with proper reconstruction parameters provided better image quality than FBP method as well as conventional radiography. These results indicated that the ART method with optimal reconstruction parameters could improve image quality for nodule detection using the CDT system.

  10. The maximum likelihood estimator method of image reconstruction: Its fundamental characteristics and their origin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Llacer, J.; Veklerov, E.

    1987-05-01

    We review our recent work characterizing the image reconstruction properties of the MLE algorithm. We studied its convergence properties and confirmed the onset of image deterioration, which is a function of the number of counts in the source. By modulating the weight given to projection tubes with high numbers of counts with respect to those with low numbers of counts in the reconstruction process, we have confirmed that image deterioration is due to an attempt by the algorithm to match projection data tubes with high numbers of counts too closely to the iterative image projections. We developed a stopping rule for the algorithm that tests the hypothesis that a reconstructed image could have given the initial projection data in a manner consistent with the underlying assumption of Poisson distributed variables. The rule was applied to two mathematically generated phantoms with success and to a third phantom with exact (no statistical fluctuations) projection data. We conclude that the behavior of the target functions whose extrema are sought in iterative schemes is more important in the early stages of the reconstruction than in the later stages, when the extrema are being approached but with the Poisson nature of the measurement. 11 refs., 14 figs

  11. Reconstruction with vascularized composite tissue in patients with excessive injury following surgery and irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serafin, D.; DeLand, M.; Lesesne, C.B.; Smith, P.J.; Noell, K.T.; Georgiade, N.

    1982-01-01

    The biological effects of a single high dose of radiation are examined. Both cellular injury and repair are reviewed during early, intermediate, and late phases. Anticipated composite tissue morbidity is detailed for therapeutic radiation doses administered to the head and neck, breast and thorax, and perineum. Patients who demonstrated excessive time-dose fractionation values were irradiated with lower x-ray energies. Those in whom there was an overlap of treatment fields presented a serious challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. Judicious selection of well-vascularized composite tissue outside the portals of irradiation, preferably with a long vascular pedicle, facilitated reconstruction. When possible, both donor and recipient vasculature should be outside the irradiated area to ensure uninterrupted blood flow to the transferred or transplanted tissue

  12. Some comments on reconstructing the historical climate of California, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mock, C.J.

    2006-01-01

    This paper describes some examples of historical climate reconstruction pertaining to California, USA, focusing mostly on winter climate given the expected strongest teleconnection signals for this season. Climatic data consist of early instrumental data from the US Army Surgeon General at military forts, observers of the Smithsonian Institution, the Signal Service, and some private observers. Documentary (non-instrumental) data were also used in assessing extreme events. Original daily records of these data were carefully assessed for discontinuities from examining diurnal temperature ranges and daily precipitation amounts. The climatic reconstructions conducted were as follows: 1) winter precipitation time series for selected locations since 1850, particularly for Sacramento and San Francisco, 2) winter temperature time series for selected locations since 1850, and 3) analyses of an extreme flooding event in January 1862 and a landfalling tropical cyclone of September 1939. Results indicate distinctive wetter winters for central and northern California in the late nineteenth century, and some of these wetter years correspond to well-known very strong El Ni no events. Connections to weaker El Nino and La Nina events, however, are not clearly evident. The flood of January 1862 is considered unprecedented when compared to other floods of the last 130 years. The reconstruction of a landfalling tropical cyclone for September 1939 near Los Angeles suggests its intensity at just below hurricane strength

  13. Entropy and transverse section reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gullberg, G.T.

    1976-01-01

    A new approach to the reconstruction of a transverse section using projection data from multiple views incorporates the concept of maximum entropy. The principle of maximizing information entropy embodies the assurance of minimizing bias or prejudice in the reconstruction. Using maximum entropy is a necessary condition for the reconstructed image. This entropy criterion is most appropriate for 3-D reconstruction of objects from projections where the system is underdetermined or the data are limited statistically. This is the case in nuclear medicine time limitations in patient studies do not yield sufficient projections

  14. Breast reconstruction - natural tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... flap; TRAM; Latissimus muscle flap with a breast implant; DIEP flap; DIEAP flap; Gluteal free flap; Transverse upper gracilis flap; TUG; Mastectomy - breast reconstruction with natural tissue; Breast cancer - breast reconstruction with natural tissue

  15. Jini service to reconstruct tomographic data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knoll, Peter; Mirzaei, S.; Koriska, K.; Koehn, H.

    2002-06-01

    A number of imaging systems rely on the reconstruction of a 3- dimensional model from its projections through the process of computed tomography (CT). In medical imaging, for example magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and Single Computer Tomography (SPECT) acquire two-dimensional projections of a three dimensional projections of a three dimensional object. In order to calculate the 3-dimensional representation of the object, i.e. its voxel distribution, several reconstruction algorithms have been developed. Currently, mainly two reconstruct use: the filtered back projection(FBP) and iterative methods. Although the quality of iterative reconstructed SPECT slices is better than that of FBP slices, such iterative algorithms are rarely used for clinical routine studies because of their low availability and increased reconstruction time. We used Jini and a self-developed iterative reconstructions algorithm to design and implement a Jini reconstruction service. With this service, the physician selects the patient study from a database and a Jini client automatically discovers the registered Jini reconstruction services in the department's Intranet. After downloading the proxy object the this Jini service, the SPECT acquisition data are reconstructed. The resulting transaxial slices are visualized using a Jini slice viewer, which can be used for various imaging modalities.

  16. Reconstructing diet by stable isotope analysis: Two case studies from Bronze Age and Early Medieval Lower Austria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rumpelmayr, K.

    2012-01-01

    Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis is nowadays a method frequently applied for the reconstruction of past human diets. The principles of this technique were developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, when it was shown that the isotopic composition of an animal's body reflected that of its diet. Given that the investigated material (often bone collagen) is well enough preserved, several aspects of diet can be investigated by carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures - expressed as δ13C- und δ15N-values - as e.g. whether nutrition was based on C3 or C4 plants. Furthermore, these signatures can be used for the detection of a marine component in the diet and they contain information about the trophic level of an individual. The goal of the work presented in this talk was to investigate certain aspects of diet using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of human and animal skeletal remains from Austrian archaeological sites. Two sites (both in Lower Austria) were selected for this study, the Bronze Age Cemetery of Gemeinlebarn and the Early Medieval settlement of Thunau/Gars am Kamp. Previous archaeological and anthropological examinations suggested that both sites were inhabited by socially differentiated populations. Hence, during the stable isotope analysis special attention was paid to the detection of variation in nutritional habits due to sociogenic or gender-related differences. δ13C- und δ15N-values were measured in collagen, extracted from bone samples, by means of elemental analyzer-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). The obtained stable isotope data were examined for significant differences between social groups and the sexes using statistical hypothesis testing (MANOVA and ANOVA). (author)

  17. Vaginal Reconstruction Using the Ileocecal Segment after Resection of Pelvic Malignancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Aziz, Sh.

    2006-01-01

    Aim of the work: This prospective study was carried out at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of the ileocecal segment as a vaginal substitute in young female patients undergoing vaginal resection for malignant pelvic tumors. Patients and Methods: The study included eleven patients with different pelvic malignancies undergoing vaginal resection as a part of surgical treatment. The ileocecal segment, based on the ileo-colic artery, was used for vaginal reconstruction in all cases. Five cases had cervical carcinoma that underwent extended Wertheims operation. Three cases had urinary bladder cancer that underwent anterior pelvic excentration. Two cases had endometrial carcinoma, and one case had ovarian tumor. In 2 cases the terminal ileum was used, in addition, for ureteric replacement in one case, and as a bladder substitute in the other case. Their ages ranged from 39 to 47 years, with a mean age of 42 years. Primary reconstruction was done in 9 cases, while secondary reconstruction was performed in 2 cases. Results: An average of one hour was consumed in addition to the time of the original operation. Mucous discharge, as an early post operative complication was recognized only in 2 cases (18%). Late complications, in the form of inspissated mucous secretion, were encountered only in 3 cases (27%). Sexual function was satisfactory in most of the cases (10 cases) (90.9%). Conclusions: The ileo-coecal segment, although not the ideal, is an excellent substitute for vaginal reconstruction, with minimal post operative complications and satisfactory sexual function

  18. Comparison analysis between filtered back projection and algebraic reconstruction technique on microwave imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramadhan, Rifqi; Prabowo, Rian Gilang; Aprilliyani, Ria; Basari

    2018-02-01

    Victims of acute cancer and tumor are growing each year and cancer becomes one of the causes of human deaths in the world. Cancers or tumor tissue cells are cells that grow abnormally and turn to take over and damage the surrounding tissues. At the beginning, cancers or tumors do not have definite symptoms in its early stages, and can even attack the tissues inside of the body. This phenomena is not identifiable under visual human observation. Therefore, an early detection system which is cheap, quick, simple, and portable is essensially required to anticipate the further development of cancer or tumor. Among all of the modalities, microwave imaging is considered to be a cheaper, simple, and portable system method. There are at least two simple image reconstruction algorithms i.e. Filtered Back Projection (FBP) and Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (ART), which have been adopted in some common modalities. In this paper, both algorithms will be compared by reconstructing the image from an artificial tissue model (i.e. phantom), which has two different dielectric distributions. We addressed two performance comparisons, namely quantitative and qualitative analysis. Qualitative analysis includes the smoothness of the image and also the success in distinguishing dielectric differences by observing the image with human eyesight. In addition, quantitative analysis includes Histogram, Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), Mean Squared Error (MSE), and Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) calculation were also performed. As a result, quantitative parameters of FBP might show better values than the ART. However, ART is likely more capable to distinguish two different dielectric value than FBP, due to higher contrast in ART and wide distribution grayscale level.

  19. BREAST RECONSTRUCTIONS AFTER BREAST CANCER TREATING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erik Vrabič

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background. Breasts are an important symbol of physical beauty, feminity, mothering and sexual desire through the entire history of mankind. Lost of the whole or part of the breast is functional and aesthetic disturbance for woman. It is understandable, that the woman, who is concerned over breast loss, is as appropriate as another person´s concern over the loss of a limb or other body part. Before the 1960, breast reconstruction was considered as a dangerous procedure and it was almost prohibited. Considering the psychological importance of the breast in modern society, the possibility of breast reconstruction for the woman about to undergo a mastectomy is a comforting alternative. We can perform breast reconstruction with autologous tissue (autologous reconstruction, with breast implants and combination of both methods. For autologous reconstruction we can use local tissue (local flaps, or tissue from distant parts of the body (free vascular tissue transfer. Tissue expansion must be performed first, in many cases of breast reconstructions with breast implants. Conclusions. Possibility of breast reconstruction made a big progress last 3 decades. Today we are able to reconstruct almost every defect of the breast and the entire breast. Breast reconstruction rise the quality of life for breast cancer patients. Breast reconstruction is a team work of experts from many medicine specialites. In Slovenia we can offer breast reconstruction for breast cancer patients in Ljubljana, where plastic surgeons from Clinical Department for Plastic Surgery and Burns cooperate with oncologic surgeons. Ten years ago a similar cooperation between plastic surgeons and surgeons of the Centre for Breast Diseases was established in Maribor.

  20. Reconstruction of a ring applicator using CT imaging: impact of the reconstruction method and applicator orientation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hellebust, Taran Paulsen; Tanderup, Kari; Bergstrand, Eva Stabell; Knutsen, Bjoern Helge; Roeislien, Jo; Olsen, Dag Rune

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the method of applicator reconstruction and/or the applicator orientation influence the dose calculation to points around the applicator for brachytherapy of cervical cancer with CT-based treatment planning. A phantom, containing a fixed ring applicator set and six lead pellets representing dose points, was used. The phantom was CT scanned with the ring applicator at four different angles related to the image plane. In each scan the applicator was reconstructed by three methods: (1) direct reconstruction in each image (DR) (2) reconstruction in multiplanar reconstructed images (MPR) and (3) library plans, using pre-defined applicator geometry (LIB). The doses to the lead pellets were calculated. The relative standard deviation (SD) for all reconstruction methods was less than 3.7% in the dose points. The relative SD for the LIB method was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than for the DR and MPR methods for all but two points. All applicator orientations had similar dose calculation reproducibility. Using library plans for applicator reconstruction gives the most reproducible dose calculation. However, with restrictive guidelines for applicator reconstruction the uncertainties for all methods are low compared to other factors influencing the accuracy of brachytherapy

  1. Delayed vaginal reconstruction in the fibrotic pelvis following radiation or previous reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berek, J.S.; Hacker, N.F.; Lagasse, L.D.; Smith, M.L.

    1983-01-01

    Vaginal reconstruction was performed in 14 patients who had developed vaginal stenosis secondary to extensive pelvic fibrosis after pelvic radiation therapy (12 patients) or prior vaginal reconstruction (2 patients). Sixteen procedures were performed using a split-thickness skin graft. All patients had satisfactory vaginal restoration, and 12 patients reported good vaginal function. No fistula developed as a result of the operative procedure, but one patient later developed a rectovaginal fistula resulting from tumor recurrence. Successful vaginal reconstruction can be achieved even years after initial therapy in patients who develop an obliterated vagina from previous radiation or surgery

  2. Breast reconstruction following mastectomy: current status in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandelin, Kerstin; King, Elizabeth; Redman, Sally

    2003-09-01

    Although breast reconstruction provides some advantages for women following mastectomy, few Australian breast cancer patients currently receive reconstruction. In Australia, the routine provision of breast reconstruction will require the development of specific health service delivery models. The present paper reports an analysis of the provision of breast reconstruction in eight sites in Australia. A semi-structured telephone interview was conducted with 10 surgeons offering breast reconstruction as part of their practice, including nine breast or general surgeons and one plastic surgeon. Surgeons reported offering breast reconstruction to all women facing mastectomy; the proportion of women deciding to have breast reconstruction varied between sites with up to 50% of women having a reconstruction at some sites. Most sites offered three types of reconstruction. Two pathways emerged: either the breast surgeon performed the breast surgery in a team with the plastic surgeon who undertook the breast reconstruction or the breast surgeon provided both the breast surgery and the reconstruction. Considerable waiting times for breast reconstruction were reported in the public sector particularly for delayed reconstruction. Surgeons reported receiving training in breast reconstruction from plastic surgeons or from a breast surgery team that performed reconstructions; a number had been trained overseas. No audits of breast reconstruction were being undertaken. Breast reconstruction can be offered on a routine basis in Australia in both the private and public sectors. Women may be more readily able to access breast reconstruction when it is provided by a breast surgeon alone, but the range of reconstruction options may be more limited. If access to breast reconstruction is to be increased, there will be a need to: (i) develop effective models for the rural sector taking account of the lack of plastic surgeons; (ii) address waiting times for reconstruction surgery in the

  3. CT stereotactic reconstruction of oral cavity interstitial plastic tube implants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crispin, V.; Carrasco, P.; Guardino, C.; Lopez, J.; Chust, M.; Arribas, L.; Mengual, J.; Miragall, E.G.; Hernandez, A.; Carrascosa, M.; Cardenal, R.; Guinot, J.; Casana, M.; Prats, C.

    1996-01-01

    The continuous using of CT images in external RT have made us think of its applications for plastic tube interstitial implants in the oral cavity in order to calculate the dose delivered by an interstitial implant at any point of the image and its relationship with local control and complications. Moreover, the outcoming result of the whole treatment depends on whether the irradiated volume up to a prescribed dose includes the CTV or not. None of these objectives may be achieved through the classical film reconstruction. Although film reconstruction appeared as the only accurate method for these purposes in the early eighties, it does not allow us to calculate doses at critical points or volumes. Therefore possible complications over critical tissues surrounding the radioactive implant cannot be taken into account in a precise way. The use of a stereotactic coordinate system could make CT reconstruction as precise as film reconstruction. As our stereotactic frame can be placed over the patient in 'direct' or 'inverse' positions it is really interesting in the applications we are talking about. We also have used a non invasive standard plexiglass helmet commonly used in stereotactic fractionated irradiations in teletherapy. It fits perfectly the patient's head and avoids any movement of the patient during the CT exam. We do parallel slices, approximately perpendicular to the iridium wires (following the Paris System), covering the whole implant helping ourselves with both bone and implant references. The dose-volume histograms and DNR (dose nonuniformity ratio) index defined by Saw et Al are used for intercomparison between the ortogonal and the stereotactic reconstructions. The existence of a minimum in the DNR curve indicates that there is a reference dose rate for this implant which provides an optimal dose distribution. If we calculate which is the minimum of each method, we find they are very close. So, as both methods give very similar results, we can conclude

  4. Petz recovery versus matrix reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holzäpfel, Milan; Cramer, Marcus; Datta, Nilanjana; Plenio, Martin B.

    2018-04-01

    The reconstruction of the state of a multipartite quantum mechanical system represents a fundamental task in quantum information science. At its most basic, it concerns a state of a bipartite quantum system whose subsystems are subjected to local operations. We compare two different methods for obtaining the original state from the state resulting from the action of these operations. The first method involves quantum operations called Petz recovery maps, acting locally on the two subsystems. The second method is called matrix (or state) reconstruction and involves local, linear maps that are not necessarily completely positive. Moreover, we compare the quantities on which the maps employed in the two methods depend. We show that any state that admits Petz recovery also admits state reconstruction. However, the latter is successful for a strictly larger set of states. We also compare these methods in the context of a finite spin chain. Here, the state of a finite spin chain is reconstructed from the reduced states of a few neighbouring spins. In this setting, state reconstruction is the same as the matrix product operator reconstruction proposed by Baumgratz et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 020401 (2013)]. Finally, we generalize both these methods so that they employ long-range measurements instead of relying solely on short-range correlations embodied in such local reduced states. Long-range measurements enable the reconstruction of states which cannot be reconstructed from measurements of local few-body observables alone and hereby we improve existing methods for quantum state tomography of quantum many-body systems.

  5. Breast Reconstruction After Solid Organ Transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koonce, Stephanie L; Giles, Brian; McLaughlin, Sarah A; Perdikis, Galen; Waldorf, James; Lemaine, Valerie; TerKonda, Sarvam

    2015-09-01

    Solid organ transplant patients frequently develop posttransplant malignancies including breast cancer. They may desire breast reconstruction after mastectomy, which could potentially be complicated by their transplant status, immunosuppressive regimen, and previous operations. We review our experience with patients who have undergone solid organ transplant and subsequent breast reconstruction after mastectomy After institutional review board approval, we queried our prospective breast reconstruction and solid organ transplant databases for corresponding patients. Inclusion criteria comprised breast reconstruction after solid organ transplant. A chart review was conducted of identified patients. Seventeen patients were identified: 1 pulmonary transplant, 4 cardiac transplants, 2 liver transplants, 1 pancreas transplant, 2 combined kidney/pancreas transplants, and 7 kidney transplants. Indications for mastectomy included posttransplant malignancy and prophylaxis. Median time from transplant to completion of reconstruction was 186 months (range, 11-336 months). Median age at transplant was 34.5 years (range, 21-65 years) with the median age of the patients at reconstructive surgery 51.5 years (range, 34-71 years). Median body mass index was 25.3 (range, 21.3-46.5). No significant complications were noted after reconstructive surgery. All patients were on full immunosuppression at time of reconstruction. Breast reconstruction is a viable option for transplant patients after mastectomy and should not be refused based on their transplant status. Close coordination with the transplant team and careful preoperative planning is essential for optimal outcomes.

  6. Late-glacial atmospheric CO{sub 2} reconstructions from western Norway using fossil leaves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birks, H H; Birks, H J.B. [Sheffield Univ. (United Kingdom). Dept. of Animal and Plant Sciences; Beerling, D J; Woodward, F I [Bergen Univ. (Norway). Botanical Inst.

    1996-12-31

    Analyses of air bubbles trapped in Antarctic ice-cores have shown that atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations are 180-200 ppmv during glacial periods, and ca. 280 ppmv during interglacials, including the Holocene. The change from glacial to Holocene concentrations occurred steadily over ca. 5000 years, slightly lagging the temperature increase inferred from {delta}{sup 18}. Antarctic ice cores lack fine time resolution over the late-glacial/early Holocene period 12-9000 {sup 14}C yr BP, that includes the Younger Dryas cold oscillation. The stomatal density on leaves is inversely proportional to the concentration of atmospheric CO{sub 2}. A late glacial sequence at Kraakenes, western Norway, contains well-preserved Salix herbacea (dwarf willow) leaves, dated from 11700-9600 {sup 14}C yr BP. If the stomatal density is measured on the fossil leaves, a calibration derived from the relationship of stomatal density of modern material of the same species to known CO{sub 2} concentrations can be used to reconstruct CO{sub 2} concentrations of the past. Because of the decadal time-resolution available at Kraakenes through the late-glacial and early Holocene, a detailed record of CO{sub 2} concentrations can be reconstructed over this period, that will complement the ice core record. (author)

  7. Late-glacial atmospheric CO{sub 2} reconstructions from western Norway using fossil leaves

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birks, H.H.; Birks, H.J.B. [Sheffield Univ. (United Kingdom). Dept. of Animal and Plant Sciences; Beerling, D.J.; Woodward, F.I. [Bergen Univ. (Norway). Botanical Inst.

    1995-12-31

    Analyses of air bubbles trapped in Antarctic ice-cores have shown that atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations are 180-200 ppmv during glacial periods, and ca. 280 ppmv during interglacials, including the Holocene. The change from glacial to Holocene concentrations occurred steadily over ca. 5000 years, slightly lagging the temperature increase inferred from {delta}{sup 18}. Antarctic ice cores lack fine time resolution over the late-glacial/early Holocene period 12-9000 {sup 14}C yr BP, that includes the Younger Dryas cold oscillation. The stomatal density on leaves is inversely proportional to the concentration of atmospheric CO{sub 2}. A late glacial sequence at Kraakenes, western Norway, contains well-preserved Salix herbacea (dwarf willow) leaves, dated from 11700-9600 {sup 14}C yr BP. If the stomatal density is measured on the fossil leaves, a calibration derived from the relationship of stomatal density of modern material of the same species to known CO{sub 2} concentrations can be used to reconstruct CO{sub 2} concentrations of the past. Because of the decadal time-resolution available at Kraakenes through the late-glacial and early Holocene, a detailed record of CO{sub 2} concentrations can be reconstructed over this period, that will complement the ice core record. (author)

  8. Decreased stage migration rate of early gastric cancer with a new reconstruction algorithm using dual-energy CT images: a preliminary study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Cen [Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai (China); First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Department of Radiology, Suzhou (China); Zhang, Huan; Du, Lianjun; Pan, Zilai; Yan, Fuhua [Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai (China); Yan, Jing [Siemens Medical System, Shanghai (China); Wang, Baisong [Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Department of Biological Statistics, Shanghai (China)

    2017-02-15

    To evaluate the potential value of advanced monoenergetic images (AMEIs) on early gastric cancer (EGC) using dual-energy CT (DECT). 31 EGC patients (19 men, 12 women; age range, 38-81 years; mean age, 57.19 years) were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Conventionally reconstructed polyenergetic images (PEIs) at 120 kV and virtual monoenergetic images (MEIs) and AMEIs at six different kiloelectron volt (keV) levels (from 40 to 90 keV) were evaluated from the 100 and Sn 140 kV dual energy image data, respectively. The visibility and stage migration of EGC for all three image data sets were evaluated and statistically analyzed. The objective and subjective image qualities were also evaluated. AMEIs at 40 keV showed the best visibility (80.7 %) and the lowest stage migration (35.5 %) for EGC. The stage migration for AMEIs at 40 keV was significantly lower than that for PEIs (p = 0.026). AMEIs at 40 keV had statistically higher CNR in the arterial and portal phases, gastric-specific diagnostic performance and visual sharpness compared with other AMEIs, MEIs and PEIs (all p < 0.05). AMEIs at 40 keV with MPR increase the CNR of EGC and thus potentially lower the stage migration of EGC. (orig.)

  9. Palynology of Sub-Saharan Karoo Basins: Key to Early Mesozoic palaeoclimate reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Götz, Annette E.

    2014-05-01

    Palynological data of Permian-Triassic formations of the Sub-Saharan Karoo basins play a crucial role in the study and for the understanding of Gondwana's climate history and biodiversity in this time of major global changes in terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The palynological record reflects changes in land plant communities and vegetational patterns related to climate change and thus provides significant data for high-resolution palaeoclimate reconstructions in deep time. Recent palynological investigations of Triassic successions of South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania document major changes in palaeoclimate. The spore/pollen ratios are used as a proxy for humidity changes. Stratal variations in the composition of the pollen group indicate warming and cooling phases. Variations in the amount and in the type, size and shape of phytoclasts reflect short-term changes in transport and weathering. The detected palaeoclimate signals are used for high-resolution correlation on basin-wide, intercontinental and intra-Gondwanic scales.

  10. Prosthetic breast reconstruction: indications and update

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinn, Tam T.; Miller, George S.; Rostek, Marie; Cabalag, Miguel S.; Rozen, Warren M.

    2016-01-01

    Background Despite 82% of patients reporting psychosocial improvement following breast reconstruction, only 33% patients choose to undergo surgery. Implant reconstruction outnumbers autologous reconstruction in many centres. Methods A systematic review of the literature was undertaken. Inclusion required: (I) Meta-analyses or review articles; (II) adult patients aged 18 years or over undergoing alloplastic breast reconstruction; (III) studies including outcome measures; (IV) case series with more than 10 patients; (V) English language; and (VI) publication after 1st January, 2000. Results After full text review, analysis and data extraction was conducted for a total of 63 articles. Definitive reconstruction with an implant can be immediate or delayed. Older patients have similar or even lower complication rates to younger patients. Complications include capsular contracture, hematoma and infection. Obesity, smoking, large breasts, diabetes and higher grade tumors are associated with increased risk of wound problems and reconstructive failure. Silicone implant patients have higher capsular contracture rates but have higher physical and psychosocial function. There were no associations made between silicone implants and cancer or systemic disease. There were no differences in outcomes or complications between round and shaped implants. Textured implants have a lower risk of capsular contracture than smooth implants. Smooth implants are more likely to be displaced as well as having higher rates of infection. Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) gives the best aesthetic outcome if radiotherapy is not required but has a higher rate of capsular contracture and implant failure. Delayed-immediate reconstruction patients can achieve similar aesthetic results to IBR whilst preserving the breast skin if radiotherapy is required. Delayed breast reconstruction (DBR) patients have fewer complications than IBR patients. Conclusions Implant reconstruction is a safe and popular

  11. Right adrenal vein: comparison between adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction and model-based iterative reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noda, Y; Goshima, S; Nagata, S; Miyoshi, T; Kawada, H; Kawai, N; Tanahashi, Y; Matsuo, M

    2018-06-01

    To compare right adrenal vein (RAV) visualisation and contrast enhancement degree on adrenal venous phase images reconstructed using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) techniques. This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board, and written informed consent was waived. Fifty-seven consecutive patients who underwent adrenal venous phase imaging were enrolled. The same raw data were reconstructed using ASiR 40% and MBIR. The expert and beginner independently reviewed computed tomography (CT) images. RAV visualisation rates, background noise, and CT attenuation of the RAV, right adrenal gland, inferior vena cava (IVC), hepatic vein, and bilateral renal veins were compared between the two reconstruction techniques. RAV visualisation rates were higher with MBIR than with ASiR (95% versus 88%, p=0.13 in expert and 93% versus 75%, p=0.002 in beginner, respectively). RAV visualisation confidence ratings with MBIR were significantly greater than with ASiR (pASiR (pASiR (p=0.0013 and 0.02). Reconstruction of adrenal venous phase images using MBIR significantly reduces background noise, leading to an improvement in the RAV visualisation compared with ASiR. Copyright © 2018 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Maxillary reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brown James

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This article aims to discuss the various defects that occur with maxillectomy with a full review of the literature and discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the various techniques described. Reconstruction of the maxilla can be relatively simple for the standard low maxillectomy that does not involve the orbital floor (Class 2. In this situation the structure of the face is less damaged and the there are multiple reconstructive options for the restoration of the maxilla and dental alveolus. If the maxillectomy includes the orbit (Class 4 then problems involving the eye (enopthalmos, orbital dystopia, ectropion and diplopia are avoided which simplifies the reconstruction. Most controversy is associated with the maxillectomy that involves the orbital floor and dental alveolus (Class 3. A case is made for the use of the iliac crest with internal oblique as an ideal option but there are other methods, which may provide a similar result. A multidisciplinary approach to these patients is emphasised which should include a prosthodontist with a special expertise for these defects.

  13. Seasonality of bottom water temperature in the northern North Sea reconstructed from the oxygen isotope composition of the bivalve Arctica islandica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trofimova, Tamara; Andersson, Carin; Bonitz, Fabian

    2017-04-01

    The seasonality of temperature changes is an important characteristic of climate. However, observational data for the ocean are only available for the last 150 year from a limited number of locations. Prior to 18th century information is only available from proxy reconstructions. The vast majority of such reconstructions depend on land-based archives, primarily from dendrochronology. Established marine proxy records for the ocean, especially at high latitudes, are both sparsely distributed and poorly resolved in time. Therefore, the identification and development of proxies for studying key ocean processes at sub-annual resolution that can extend the marine instrumental record is a clear priority in marine climate science. In this study, we have developed a record of early Holocene seasonal variability of bottom water temperature from the Viking Bank in the northern most North Sea. This area is of a particular interest since the hydrography is controlled by the inflow of Atlantic water. The reconstruction is based on the oxygen isotope composition of the growth increments in two sub-fossil shells of Arctica islandica (Bivalvia), dated to 9600-9335 cal. yr BP. By combining radiocarbon dating and sclerochronological techniques a floating chronology spanning over 200 years was constructed. Using the chronology as an age model, oxygen isotope measurements from 2 shells were combined into a 22-years long record. The results from this oxygen isotope record are compared with stable oxygen isotope profiles from modern shells to estimate changes in the mean state and seasonality between present and early Holocene. Shell-derived oxygen isotope values together with ice-volume corrected oxygen isotope values for the seawater were used to calculate bottom-water temperatures on a sub-annual time-scale. Preliminary results of the reconstructed early Holocene bottom water temperature indicate higher seasonality and lower minimum temperature compared to the present.

  14. Graft infections after surgical aortic reconstructions

    OpenAIRE

    Berger, P.

    2015-01-01

    Prosthetic vascular grafts are frequently used to reconstruct (part) of the aorta. Every surgical procedure caries a certain risk for infection and when a prosthetic aortic graft is implanted, this may lead to an aortic graft infection (AGI). Endovascular techniques have gradually replaced open surgical reconstructions as first line of treatment for aorto-iliac diseases. Nowadays, open reconstructions are primarily reserved for patients unsuitable for endovascular reconstructions or for redo ...

  15. REGEN: Ancestral Genome Reconstruction for Bacteria

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Kuan; Heath, Lenwood S.; Setubal, João C.

    2012-01-01

    Ancestral genome reconstruction can be understood as a phylogenetic study with more details than a traditional phylogenetic tree reconstruction. We present a new computational system called REGEN for ancestral bacterial genome reconstruction at both the gene and replicon levels. REGEN reconstructs gene content, contiguous gene runs, and replicon structure for each ancestral genome. Along each branch of the phylogenetic tree, REGEN infers evolutionary events, including gene creation and deleti...

  16. Craniofacial Reconstruction Evaluation by Geodesic Network

    OpenAIRE

    Zhao, Junli; Liu, Cuiting; Wu, Zhongke; Duan, Fuqing; Wang, Kang; Jia, Taorui; Liu, Quansheng

    2014-01-01

    Craniofacial reconstruction is to estimate an individual’s face model from its skull. It has a widespread application in forensic medicine, archeology, medical cosmetic surgery, and so forth. However, little attention is paid to the evaluation of craniofacial reconstruction. This paper proposes an objective method to evaluate globally and locally the reconstructed craniofacial faces based on the geodesic network. Firstly, the geodesic networks of the reconstructed craniofacial face and the or...

  17. Introducing the fast track surgery principles can reduce length of stay after autologous breast reconstruction using free flaps

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonde, Christian; Khorasani, Hoda; Eriksen, Kirsten

    2015-01-01

    , planned early discharge, and multimodal opioid-sparing analgesia. The results from all unilateral, breast reconstructions in the first 5 years after the implementation of the FTS (n = 177) were compared to results prior to the FTS (n = 292). Flap type, operating time, blood loss and ischaemic time, LOS...

  18. Overview of image reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marr, R.B.

    1980-04-01

    Image reconstruction (or computerized tomography, etc.) is any process whereby a function, f, on R/sup n/ is estimated from empirical data pertaining to its integrals, ∫f(x) dx, for some collection of hyperplanes of dimension k < n. The paper begins with background information on how image reconstruction problems have arisen in practice, and describes some of the application areas of past or current interest; these include radioastronomy, optics, radiology and nuclear medicine, electron microscopy, acoustical imaging, geophysical tomography, nondestructive testing, and NMR zeugmatography. Then the various reconstruction algorithms are discussed in five classes: summation, or simple back-projection; convolution, or filtered back-projection; Fourier and other functional transforms; orthogonal function series expansion; and iterative methods. Certain more technical mathematical aspects of image reconstruction are considered from the standpoint of uniqueness, consistency, and stability of solution. The paper concludes by presenting certain open problems. 73 references

  19. Virtual 3-D Facial Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Paul Evison

    2000-06-01

    Full Text Available Facial reconstructions in archaeology allow empathy with people who lived in the past and enjoy considerable popularity with the public. It is a common misconception that facial reconstruction will produce an exact likeness; a resemblance is the best that can be hoped for. Research at Sheffield University is aimed at the development of a computer system for facial reconstruction that will be accurate, rapid, repeatable, accessible and flexible. This research is described and prototypical 3-D facial reconstructions are presented. Interpolation models simulating obesity, ageing and ethnic affiliation are also described. Some strengths and weaknesses in the models, and their potential for application in archaeology are discussed.

  20. Image quality of iterative reconstruction in cranial CT imaging: comparison of model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Notohamiprodjo, S; Deak, Z; Meurer, F; Maertz, F; Mueck, F G; Geyer, L L; Wirth, S

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare cranial CT (CCT) image quality (IQ) of the MBIR algorithm with standard iterative reconstruction (ASiR). In this institutional review board (IRB)-approved study, raw data sets of 100 unenhanced CCT examinations (120 kV, 50-260 mAs, 20 mm collimation, 0.984 pitch) were reconstructed with both ASiR and MBIR. Signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise (CNR) were calculated from attenuation values measured in caudate nucleus, frontal white matter, anterior ventricle horn, fourth ventricle, and pons. Two radiologists, who were blinded to the reconstruction algorithms, evaluated anonymized multiplanar reformations of 2.5 mm with respect to depiction of different parenchymal structures and impact of artefacts on IQ with a five-point scale (0: unacceptable, 1: less than average, 2: average, 3: above average, 4: excellent). MBIR decreased artefacts more effectively than ASiR (p ASiR was 2 (p ASiR (p ASiR. As CCT is an examination that is frequently required, the use of MBIR may allow for substantial reduction of radiation exposure caused by medical diagnostics. • Model-Based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) effectively decreased artefacts in cranial CT. • MBIR reconstructed images were rated with significantly higher scores for image quality. • Model-Based iterative reconstruction may allow reduced-dose diagnostic examination protocols.

  1. REGEN: Ancestral Genome Reconstruction for Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Kuan; Heath, Lenwood S; Setubal, João C

    2012-07-18

    Ancestral genome reconstruction can be understood as a phylogenetic study with more details than a traditional phylogenetic tree reconstruction. We present a new computational system called REGEN for ancestral bacterial genome reconstruction at both the gene and replicon levels. REGEN reconstructs gene content, contiguous gene runs, and replicon structure for each ancestral genome. Along each branch of the phylogenetic tree, REGEN infers evolutionary events, including gene creation and deletion and replicon fission and fusion. The reconstruction can be performed by either a maximum parsimony or a maximum likelihood method. Gene content reconstruction is based on the concept of neighboring gene pairs. REGEN was designed to be used with any set of genomes that are sufficiently related, which will usually be the case for bacteria within the same taxonomic order. We evaluated REGEN using simulated genomes and genomes in the Rhizobiales order.

  2. Implant Utilization and Time to Prosthetic Rehabilitation in Conventional and Advanced Fibular Free Flap Reconstruction of the Maxilla and Mandible.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuka, Richelle; Abdullah, Wael; Rieger, Jana; Nayar, Suresh; Seikaly, Hadi; Osswald, Martin; Wolfaardt, Johan

    Precisely designed jaw reconstruction rehabilitation (JRR) is important to the integrity of the jaw structure and oral functions. Advanced three-dimensional (3D) digital surgical design and simulation (SDS) techniques have the potential to reduce time to reconstructive and dental treatment completion, thereby promoting early functional oral rehabilitation. This study investigated the use of SDS in JRR procedures. A retrospective chart review was conducted on adult head and neck tumor (HNT) participants who completed JRR treatment with a fibular free flap (FFF) reconstruction. Two treatment approaches, advanced 3D SDS technique (with-SDS) and conventional, nondigitally planned technique (without-SDS), included the use of osseointegrated implants. Data were collected from adult patients treated between January 2000 and March 2014 at the Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine (iRSM). Participants were excluded if they underwent a bone-containing augmentation to the FFF reconstruction. The without-SDS group underwent a conventional, nonguided FFF reconstruction followed by nonguided implant placement. The with-SDS group underwent a guided FFF reconstruction with guided implant placement during the reconstructive surgery. The outcome measures included implant utilization (ratio of implants placed to connected) and time to prosthetic connection after FFF reconstruction. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the data. The digital SDS technique (with-SDS) group completed prosthetic treatment with a significantly higher utilization of implants as well as a significantly shorter time to prosthetic delivery. SDS allows an interdisciplinary treatment team to work together to create a virtual plan that leads to greater efficiency in patient treatment time and utilization of dental implants.

  3. Quadriceps rate of torque development and disability in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Hope C; Troy Blackburn, J; Ryan, Eric D; Luc-Harkey, Brittney A; Harkey, Matthew S; Padua, Darin A; Pietrosimone, Brian

    2017-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine associations between self-reported function (International Knee Documentation Committee Index), isometric quadriceps strength and rate of torque development in individuals with a unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Forty-one individuals [31% male, BMI mean 25 (SD 4) kg/m 2 , months post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction mean 49 (SD 40)] completed the self-reported function and isometric quadriceps function testing. Rate of torque development was assessed at 0-100ms (early), 100-200ms (late) ms, and peak following the onset of contraction. Associations were examined between rate of torque development, strength, and self-reported function. Linear regression was used to determine the unique amount of variance explained by the combination of rate of torque development and strength. Higher rate of torque development 100-200ms is weakly associated with higher self-reported function in individuals with a unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (r=0.274, p=0.091); however, rate of torque development 100-200ms does not predict a significant amount of variance in self-reported function after accounting for strength (ΔR 2 =0.003, P=0.721). Quadriceps strength has a greater influence on self-reported function compared to rate of torque development in individuals with an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with time from surgery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. REGEN: Ancestral Genome Reconstruction for Bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João C. Setubal

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Ancestral genome reconstruction can be understood as a phylogenetic study with more details than a traditional phylogenetic tree reconstruction. We present a new computational system called REGEN for ancestral bacterial genome reconstruction at both the gene and replicon levels. REGEN reconstructs gene content, contiguous gene runs, and replicon structure for each ancestral genome. Along each branch of the phylogenetic tree, REGEN infers evolutionary events, including gene creation and deletion and replicon fission and fusion. The reconstruction can be performed by either a maximum parsimony or a maximum likelihood method. Gene content reconstruction is based on the concept of neighboring gene pairs. REGEN was designed to be used with any set of genomes that are sufficiently related, which will usually be the case for bacteria within the same taxonomic order. We evaluated REGEN using simulated genomes and genomes in the Rhizobiales order.

  5. Computer Based Road Accident Reconstruction Experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milan Batista

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Since road accident analyses and reconstructions are increasinglybased on specific computer software for simulationof vehicle d1iving dynamics and collision dynamics, and forsimulation of a set of trial runs from which the model that bestdescribes a real event can be selected, the paper presents anoverview of some computer software and methods available toaccident reconstruction experts. Besides being time-saving,when properly used such computer software can provide moreauthentic and more trustworthy accident reconstruction, thereforepractical experiences while using computer software toolsfor road accident reconstruction obtained in the TransportSafety Laboratory at the Faculty for Maritime Studies andTransport of the University of Ljubljana are presented and discussed.This paper addresses also software technology for extractingmaximum information from the accident photo-documentationto support accident reconstruction based on the simulationsoftware, as well as the field work of reconstruction expertsor police on the road accident scene defined by this technology.

  6. Early 13 TeV Results from the ATLAS Experiment

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2015-01-01

    The ATLAS experiment has recorded almost 200 pb-1 of collision data at 13 TeV centre-of-mass energy. The seminar presents the status of the data taking, the commissioning of the event reconstruction, focusing on the key techniques that have allowed to quickly reach a good understanding of the basic physics objects, and early physics results.

  7. Gastric pull-up reconstruction combined with free jejunal transfer (FJT) following total pharyngolaryngo-oesophagectomy (PLE).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Song; Zhu, Yiming; Li, Dezhi; Li, Zhengjiang; Wu, Yuehuang; Xu, Zhengang; Liu, Shaoyan

    2015-06-01

    Reconstruction following total pharyngolaryngo-oesophagectomy (PLE) still challenges surgeons because of the extreme length of removed tissue. Gastric pull-up reconstruction, one of the most common reconstructive methods after PLE, has many complications such as anastomotic fistula and gastric necrosis caused by the high anastomotic tension. However, modifications of gastric pull-up reconstruction aiming to reducing the high anastomotic tension have been less reported compared with other aspects with this technique. Here we report a modified gastric pull-up reconstruction combined with free jejunal transfer (FTJ) to reduce the anastomosis tension, and thus to reduce the risk of complications after PLE. Patients underwent a standard surgical procedure including total pharyngolaryngo-oesophagectomy and bilateral internal jugular lymph nodal clearance. A free jejunal graft about 10 cm was harvested and placed in the appropriate position between mobilized stomach and oropharynx. The anastomosis between the free jejunal graft and the gastric tube was created through a stapler. Vascular anastomosis was made between the jejunal artery and the transverse cervical artery, and between the jejunal vein and the internal jugular vein. Hand suturing technique was used in the anastomosis between jejunum and pharynx. None of the patients suffered from any complications such as anastomotic fistula. Both patients resumed early postoperative oral intake. So far, they remain free of tumor recurrence and are in good health for 46 and 18 months, respectively. Considering the tumor status and the patient condition, the gastric pull-up reconstruction combined with FJT after PLE could be a reliable choice. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. How Are We Measuring Patient Satisfaction After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahlenberg, Cynthia A; Nwachukwu, Benedict U; Ferraro, Richard A; Schairer, William W; Steinhaus, Michael E; Allen, Answorth A

    2016-12-01

    Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most common orthopaedic operations in the United States. The long-term impact of ACL reconstruction is controversial, however, as longer term data have failed to demonstrate that ACL reconstruction helps alter the natural history of early onset osteoarthritis that occurs after ACL injury. There is significant interest in evaluating the value of ACL reconstruction surgeries. To examine the quality of patient satisfaction reporting after ACL reconstruction surgery. Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. A systematic review of the MEDLINE database was performed using the PubMed interface. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines as well as the PRISMA checklist were employed. The initial search yielded 267 studies. The inclusion criteria were: English language, US patient population, clinical outcome study of ACL reconstruction surgery, and reporting of patient satisfaction included in the study. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A total of 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies comprised a total of 1984 patients with a mean age of 31.9 years at the time of surgery and a mean follow-up period of 59.3 months. The majority of studies were evidence level 4 (n = 18; 81.8%), had a mean Newcastle-Ottawa scale score of 5.5, and were published before 2006 (n = 17; 77.3%); 5 studies (22.7%) failed to clearly describe their method for determining patient satisfaction. The most commonly used method for assessing satisfaction was a 0 to 10 satisfaction scale (n = 11; 50.0%). Among studies using a 0 to 10 scale, mean satisfaction ranged from 7.4 to 10.0. Patient-reported outcome and objective functional measures for ACL stability and knee function were positively correlated with patient satisfaction. Degenerative knee change was negatively correlated with satisfaction. The level of evidence for studies reporting patient

  9. Data-parallel tomographic reconstruction : A comparison of filtered backprojection and direct Fourier reconstruction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roerdink, J.B.T.M.; Westenberg, M.A

    1998-01-01

    We consider the parallelization of two standard 2D reconstruction algorithms, filtered backprojection and direct Fourier reconstruction, using the data-parallel programming style. The algorithms are implemented on a Connection Machine CM-5 with 16 processors and a peak performance of 2 Gflop/s.

  10. Long-term follow-up of changing practice patterns in breast reconstruction due to increased use of tissue expanders and perforator flaps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manahan, Michele A; Prucz, Roni B; Shridharani, Sachin M; Baltodano, Pablo A; Rosson, Gedge D

    2014-11-01

    As the science of breast reconstruction evolves, significant changes in reconstruction strategies and outcomes are expected. The purpose of this study is to determine the changes in breast reconstruction trends and outcomes that occurred at a multidisciplinary academic institution during the last decade. We compared 265 patients over two distinct 6-month intervals separated by 5 years (2002 vs. 2007) and performed long-term follow-up (4.75 ± 3.38 years 2002, 2.99 ± 2.25 years 2007). We studied patients seeking prophylactic mastectomy, patients with early breast cancer, and patients with locally advanced disease. We analyzed demographic data, breast cancer history and treatment, type and timing of reconstruction, and complications. Implant to flap reconstruction ratio was 48:49 in 2002 and 76:102 in 2007. Use of transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap declined from 57 to 4%; conversely, deep inferior epigastric perforator flap increased from 27 to 91% (P < 0.001). Correspondingly, donor site chronic pain (4 vs. 0, P = 0.012) and postoperative abdominal wall bulge (9 vs. 3, P = 0.004) rates decreased. Timing of reconstruction showed increased staged cases in 2007 compared to 2002 (P = 0.045). Post-final reconstruction radiation therapy was reduced in 2007 (P = 0.016), with subsequent lower rates of implant rupture (P < 0.001). At our institution and over the last decade, increasing staged reconstructions have successfully reduced the rates of post-final reconstruction radiotherapy with optimized outcomes. Contrary to national trends, the rates of autologous flap reconstructions have increased with reduced donor site morbidity. This suggests that academic breast reconstruction trends are independent from national trends. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Morbidity and Functional Outcomes following Free Jejunal Flap Reconstruction for Head and Neck Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Song; Zhu, Yiming; Qu, Dong; Wang, Jian; Li, Dezhi; Zhang, Bin; Xu, Zhengang; Liu, Shaoyan

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the morbidity and fundamental functional outcomes (swallow and speech) after free jejunal flap (FJF) reconstruction following total pharyngolaryngo-esophagectomy (PLE) in China. 18 patients with FJF reconstruction after total PLE were retrospectively reviewed. Scheduled barium swallow test was performed 7-10 days postoperatively. Rehabilitation of swallowing and speech for patients was assessed by the Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients. 8 patients died of tumor recurrence and 2 patients died of other reasons (cerebrovascular disease and respiratory disease, respectively). The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were 70.5, 49.4, and 33.8%, respectively. 83.3% of all patients could tolerate soft chewable foods, such as cooked vegetables, fish, hamburger, and small pieces of meat. 2 patients with early stenosis at upper anastomotic sites were with good swallowing function; while 2 patients with early stenosis at lower anastomotic sites were found to have difficulty in oral diet. 2 (11.1%) patients with larynx-preserving pharyngo-esophagectomy showed no compromise in speech. Only 2 (11.1%) patients underwent primary tracheoesophageal puncture for inserting an indwelling voice prosthesis for speech, and both patients achieved functional tracheoesophageal speech. The remaining 14 (77.8%) patients with total PLE did not resume functional speech. Postoperative barium swallow examination is helpful to predict long-term anastomotic stenosis. Good functional swallow rehabilitation is achieved following FJF reconstruction after total PLE or a larynx-preserving procedure. However, the speech outcomes are not satisfactory. It raises the demand of enhancement of functional recovery so that quality of life can be improved for these patients in China. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  12. Evolution of life history and behavior in Hominidae: towards phylogenetic reconstruction of the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duda, Pavel; Zrzavý, Jan

    2013-10-01

    The origin of the fundamental behavioral differences between humans and our closest living relatives is one of the central issues of evolutionary anthropology. The prominent, chimpanzee-based referential model of early hominin behavior has recently been challenged on the basis of broad multispecies comparisons and newly discovered fossil evidence. Here, we argue that while behavioral data on extant great apes are extremely relevant for reconstruction of ancestral behaviors, these behaviors should be reconstructed trait by trait using formal phylogenetic methods. Using the widely accepted hominoid phylogenetic tree, we perform a series of character optimization analyses using 65 selected life-history and behavioral characters for all extant hominid species. This analysis allows us to reconstruct the character states of the last common ancestors of Hominoidea, Hominidae, and the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor. Our analyses demonstrate that many fundamental behavioral and life-history attributes of hominids (including humans) are evidently ancient and likely inherited from the common ancestor of all hominids. However, numerous behaviors present in extant great apes represent their own terminal autapomorphies (both uniquely derived and homoplastic). Any evolutionary model that uses a single extant species to explain behavioral evolution of early hominins is therefore of limited use. In contrast, phylogenetic reconstruction of ancestral states is able to provide a detailed suite of behavioral, ecological and life-history characters for each hypothetical ancestor. The living great apes therefore play an important role for the confident identification of the traits found in the chimpanzee-human last common ancestor, some of which are likely to represent behaviors of the fossil hominins. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Vertex Reconstruction in ATLAS Run II

    CERN Document Server

    Zhang, Matt; The ATLAS collaboration

    2016-01-01

    Vertex reconstruction is the process of taking reconstructed tracks and using them to determine the locations of proton collisions. In this poster we present the performance of our current vertex reconstruction algorithm, and look at investigations into potential improvements from a new seed finding method.

  14. Conceptualizing ‘Land’ and ‘Nation’ in Early Gold Coast Nationalism

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boele Van Hensbroek, Pieter; Fleisch, Axel; Stephens, Rhiannon

    2016-01-01

    This chapter reconstructs in detail the shifting meaning of the notion of 'land' in Gold Coast public discourses (academic, public and newspaper writing) in the context of the struggles against colonial land laws in the 1890s and early 1900s. It traces how, gradually, a notion of 'Fatherland' (or

  15. Biographical disruption, adjustment and reconstruction of everyday occupations and work participation after mild traumatic brain injury. A focus group study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sveen, Unni; Søberg, Helene Lundgaard; Østensjø, Sigrid

    2016-11-01

    To explore traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a biographical disruption and to study the reconstruction of everyday occupations and work participation among individuals with mild TBI. Seven focus groups were conducted with 12 women and 8 men (22-60 years) who had sustained mild TBI and participated in a return-to-work program. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Four interrelated themes emerged: disruption of occupational capacity and balance; changes in self-perceptions; experience of time; and occupational adjustment and reconstruction. The meaning of the impairments lies in their impact on the individual's everyday occupations. The abandonment of meaningful daily occupations and the feeling of not recognizing oneself were experienced as threats to the sense of self. Successful integration of the past, present and future was paramount to continuing life activities. The unpredictability of the future seemed to permeate the entire process of adjustment and reconstruction of daily life. Our findings show that the concept of time is important in understanding and supporting the reconstruction of daily life after TBI. The fundamental work of rehabilitation is to ameliorate the disruptions caused by the injury, restoring a sense of personal narrative and supporting the ability to move forward with life. Implications for Rehabilitation Individuals with a protracted recovery after a mild traumatic brain injury must reconstruct a new way of being and acting in the world to achieve biographical continuity. The perceived anxiety regarding changes in self and occupational identity, as well as loss of control over the future, can be attenuated through informational sessions during the hospital stay and at follow-up visits. The significant personal costs of returning to full-time employment too early indicate the need for early and ongoing vocational support in achieving a successful return to work.

  16. Tree-ring temperature reconstructions for the northeastern United States from Chamaecyparis thyoides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anchukaitis, K. J.; Pederson, N.; Pearl, J. K.; Donnelly, J. P.

    2014-12-01

    Over the last century, the northeastern United States has warmed by over 1C, with the region of strongest warming found in coastal Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. These states are amongst the fastest warming in the entire country and the region as a whole is also warming faster than the national average. While these records all appear exceptional in the context of the last century, it is not known how these compare on longer time scales, to potential preindustrial late Holocene warm epochs, and in the context of decadal-scale variability in regional climate. Here, we develop a January through August temperature reconstruction using three Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic White Cedar) chronologies in Massachusetts and Maine. The chronologies show a strong winter-spring-summer temperature signal representative of temperature variability from southern New York to northeastern Maine. The reconstruction is skillful and tracks upwards temperature trends since the early 19th century, reproducing decadal scale variability associated with warming from the 1920s through 1940s, cooling in the region from the 1940s until the 1960s, and warming since that time. No year since at least the middle of the 19th century is as warm as the Janaury through August temperatures seen in the exceptionally warm 2012. Recent modeling experiments simulate a range of decadal warming trends for the northeastern United States that is slightly higher than the reconstructed and instrumental trends. Atlantic White Cedar holds the potential to develop multicentury temperature reconstructions from this heavily-populated region.

  17. Photoacoustic image reconstruction via deep learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antholzer, Stephan; Haltmeier, Markus; Nuster, Robert; Schwab, Johannes

    2018-02-01

    Applying standard algorithms to sparse data problems in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) yields low-quality images containing severe under-sampling artifacts. To some extent, these artifacts can be reduced by iterative image reconstruction algorithms which allow to include prior knowledge such as smoothness, total variation (TV) or sparsity constraints. These algorithms tend to be time consuming as the forward and adjoint problems have to be solved repeatedly. Further, iterative algorithms have additional drawbacks. For example, the reconstruction quality strongly depends on a-priori model assumptions about the objects to be recovered, which are often not strictly satisfied in practical applications. To overcome these issues, in this paper, we develop direct and efficient reconstruction algorithms based on deep learning. As opposed to iterative algorithms, we apply a convolutional neural network, whose parameters are trained before the reconstruction process based on a set of training data. For actual image reconstruction, a single evaluation of the trained network yields the desired result. Our presented numerical results (using two different network architectures) demonstrate that the proposed deep learning approach reconstructs images with a quality comparable to state of the art iterative reconstruction methods.

  18. Beard reconstruction: A surgical algorithm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ninkovic, M; Heidekrueger, P I; Ehrl, D; von Spiegel, F; Broer, P N

    2016-06-01

    Facial defects with loss of hair-bearing regions can be caused by trauma, infection, tumor excision, or burn injury. The presented analysis evaluates a series of different surgical approaches with a focus on male beard reconstruction, emphasizing the role of tissue expansion of regional and free flaps. Locoregional and free flap reconstructions were performed in 11 male patients with 14 facial defects affecting the hair-bearing bucco-mandibular or perioral region. In order to minimize donor-site morbidity and obtain large amounts of thin, pliable, hair-bearing tissue, pre-expansion was performed in five of 14 patients. Eight of 14 patients were treated with locoregional flap reconstructions and six with free flap reconstructions. Algorithms regarding pre- and intraoperative decision making are discussed and long-term (mean follow-up 1.5 years) results analyzed. Major complications, including tissue expander infection with the need for removal or exchange, partial or full flap loss, occurred in 0% (0/8) of patients with locoregional flaps and in 17% (1/6) of patients undergoing free flap reconstructions. Secondary refinement surgery was performed in 25% (2/8) of locoregional flaps and in 67% (4/6) of free flaps. Both locoregional and distant tissue transfers play a role in beard reconstruction, while pre-expansion remains an invaluable tool. Paying attention to the presented principles and considering the significance of aesthetic facial subunits, range of motion, aesthetics, and patient satisfaction were improved long term in all our patients while minimizing donor-site morbidity. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Forensic Facial Reconstruction: The Final Frontier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Sonia; Gupta, Vineeta; Vij, Hitesh; Vij, Ruchieka; Tyagi, Nutan

    2015-09-01

    Forensic facial reconstruction can be used to identify unknown human remains when other techniques fail. Through this article, we attempt to review the different methods of facial reconstruction reported in literature. There are several techniques of doing facial reconstruction, which vary from two dimensional drawings to three dimensional clay models. With the advancement in 3D technology, a rapid, efficient and cost effective computerized 3D forensic facial reconstruction method has been developed which has brought down the degree of error previously encountered. There are several methods of manual facial reconstruction but the combination Manchester method has been reported to be the best and most accurate method for the positive recognition of an individual. Recognition allows the involved government agencies to make a list of suspected victims'. This list can then be narrowed down and a positive identification may be given by the more conventional method of forensic medicine. Facial reconstruction allows visual identification by the individual's family and associates to become easy and more definite.

  20. Alternative reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cooperman Avram M

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pancreaticoduodenectomy is the procedure of choice for tumors of the head of the pancreas and periampulla. Despite advances in surgical technique and postoperative care, the procedure continues to carry a high morbidity rate. One of the most common morbidities is delayed gastric emptying with rates of 15%–40%. Following two prolonged cases of delayed gastric emptying, we altered our reconstruction to avoid this complication altogether. Subsequently, our patients underwent a classic pancreaticoduodenectomy with an undivided Roux-en-Y technique for reconstruction. Methods We reviewed the charts of our last 13 Whipple procedures evaluating them for complications, specifically delayed gastric emptying. We compared the outcomes of those patients to a control group of 15 patients who underwent the Whipple procedure with standard reconstruction. Results No instances of delayed gastric emptying occurred in patients who underwent an undivided Roux-en-Y technique for reconstruction. There was 1 wound infection (8%, 1 instance of pneumonia (8%, and 1 instance of bleeding from the gastrojejunal staple line (8%. There was no operative mortality. Conclusion Use of the undivided Roux-en-Y technique for reconstruction following the Whipple procedure may decrease the incidence of delayed gastric emptying. In addition, it has the added benefit of eliminating bile reflux gastritis. Future randomized control trials are recommended to further evaluate the efficacy of the procedure.

  1. Reconstructing the early evolution of the fungi using a six gene phylogeny

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    James, T.Y.; Kauff, F.; Schoch, C.L.; Matheny, P.B.; Hofstetter, V.; Cox, C.J.; Celio, G.; Gueidan, C.; Fraker, E.; Miadlikowska, J.; Lumbsch, H.T.; Rauhut, A.; Reeb, V.; Arnold, A.E.; Amtoft, A.; Stajich, J.E.; Hosaka, K.; Sung, G.H.; Johnson, D.; O'Rourke, B.; Binder, M.; Curtis, J.M.; Slot, J.C.; Wang, Z.; Wilson, A.W.; Schüßler, A.; Longcore, J.E.; O'Donnell, K.; Mozley-Standridge, S.; Porter, D.; Letcher, P.M.; Powell, M.J.; Taylor, J.W.; White, M.M.; Griffith, G.W.; Davies, D.R.; Sugiyama, J.; Rossman, A.Y.; Rogers, J.D.; Pfister, D.H.; Hewitt, D.; Hansen, K.; Hambleton, S.; Shoemaker, R.A.; Kohlmeyer, J.; Volkmann-Kohlmeyer, B.; Spotts, R.A.; Serdani, M.; Crous, P.W.; Hughes, K.W.; Matsuura, K.; Langer, E.; Langer, G.; Untereiner, W.A.; Lücking, R.; Büdel, B.; Geiser, D.M.; Aptroot, A.; Diederich, P.; Schmitt, I.; Schultz, M.; Yahr, R.; Hibbett, D.S.; Lutzoni, F.; McLaughlin, D.J.; Spatafora, J.W.; Vilgalys, R.

    2006-01-01

    The ancestors of fungi are believed to be simple aquatic forms with flagellated spores, similar to members of the extant phylum Chytridiomycota (chytrids). Current classifications assume that chytrids form an early-diverging clade within the kingdom Fungi and imply a single loss of the spore

  2. Study of DNA reconstruction enzymes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sekiguchi, M [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Faculty of Science

    1976-12-01

    Description was made of the characteristics and mechanism of 3 reconstructive enzymes which received from M. luteus or E. coli or T4, and of which natures were clarified as reconstructive enzymes of DNA irradiated with ultraviolet rays. As characteristics, the site of breaking, reaction, molecular weight, electric charge in the neutrality and a specific adhesion to DNA irradiated with ultraviolet rays were mentioned. As to mutant of ultraviolet ray sensitivity, hereditary control mechanism of removal and reconstruction by endo-nuclease activation was described, and suggestion was referred to removal and reconstruction of cells of xedoderma pigmentosum which is a hereditary disease of human. Description was also made as to the mechanism of exonuclease activation which separates dimer selectively from irradiated DNA.

  3. Reconstructing random media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeong, C.L.; Torquato, S.

    1998-01-01

    We formulate a procedure to reconstruct the structure of general random heterogeneous media from limited morphological information by extending the methodology of Rintoul and Torquato [J. Colloid Interface Sci. 186, 467 (1997)] developed for dispersions. The procedure has the advantages that it is simple to implement and generally applicable to multidimensional, multiphase, and anisotropic structures. Furthermore, an extremely useful feature is that it can incorporate any type and number of correlation functions in order to provide as much morphological information as is necessary for accurate reconstruction. We consider a variety of one- and two-dimensional reconstructions, including periodic and random arrays of rods, various distribution of disks, Debye random media, and a Fontainebleau sandstone sample. We also use our algorithm to construct heterogeneous media from specified hypothetical correlation functions, including an exponentially damped, oscillating function as well as physically unrealizable ones. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

  4. Industrial dynamic tomographic reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Eric Ferreira de

    2016-01-01

    The state of the art methods applied to industrial processes is currently based on the principles of classical tomographic reconstructions developed for tomographic patterns of static distributions, or is limited to cases of low variability of the density distribution function of the tomographed object. Noise and motion artifacts are the main problems caused by a mismatch in the data from views acquired in different instants. All of these add to the known fact that using a limited amount of data can result in the presence of noise, artifacts and some inconsistencies with the distribution under study. One of the objectives of the present work is to discuss the difficulties that arise from implementing reconstruction algorithms in dynamic tomography that were originally developed for static distributions. Another objective is to propose solutions that aim at reducing a temporal type of information loss caused by employing regular acquisition systems to dynamic processes. With respect to dynamic image reconstruction it was conducted a comparison between different static reconstruction methods, like MART and FBP, when used for dynamic scenarios. This comparison was based on a MCNPx simulation as well as an analytical setup of an aluminum cylinder that moves along the section of a riser during the process of acquisition, and also based on cross section images from CFD techniques. As for the adaptation of current tomographic acquisition systems for dynamic processes, this work established a sequence of tomographic views in a just-in-time fashion for visualization purposes, a form of visually disposing density information as soon as it becomes amenable to image reconstruction. A third contribution was to take advantage of the triple color channel necessary to display colored images in most displays, so that, by appropriately scaling the acquired values of each view in the linear system of the reconstruction, it was possible to imprint a temporal trace into the regularly

  5. [Pelvic reconstructions after bone tumor resection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anract, Philippe; Biau, David; Babinet, Antoine; Tomeno, Bernard

    2014-02-01

    The three more frequent primitive malignant bone tumour which concerned the iliac bone are chondrosarcoma, following Ewing sarcoma and osteosarcoma. Wide resection remains the most important part of the treatment associated with chemotherapy for osteosarcoma and the Ewing sarcoma. Iliac wing resections and obdurate ring don't required reconstruction. However, acetabular resections and iliac wing resection with disruption of the pelvic ring required reconstruction to provide acceptable functional result. Acetabular reconstruction remains high technical demanding challenge. After isolated acetabular resection or associated to obdurate ring, our usual method of reconstruction is homolateral proximal femoral autograft and total hip prosthesis but it is possible to also used : saddle prosthesis, Mac Minn prosthesis with auto or allograft, modular prosthesis or custom made prosthesis, massive allograft with or without prosthesis and femoro-ilac arthrodesis. After resection of the iliac wing plus acetabulum, reconstruction can be performed by femoro-obturatrice and femora-sacral arthrodesis, homolateral proximal femoral autograft and prosthesis, femoral medialisation, massive allograft and massive allograft. Carcinological results are lesser than resection for distal limb tumor, local recurrence rate range 17 to 45%. Functional results after Iliac wing and obdurate ring are good. However, acetabular reconstruction provide uncertain functional results. The lesser results arrive after hemipelvic or acetabular and iliac wing resection-reconstruction, especially when gluteus muscles were also resected. The most favourable results arrive after isolated acetabular or acetabular plus obturateur ring resection-reconstruction.

  6. Vascularized fibula grafts for reconstruction of bone defects after resection of bone sarcomas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Michael Mørk; Hovgaard, Dorrit; Elberg, Jens Jørgen

    2010-01-01

    We evaluated the results of limb-sparing surgery and reconstruction of bone defects with vascularized fibula grafts in 8 consecutive patients (mean age at operation 13.6 years (range 4.1-24.2 years), female/male = 6/2) with bone sarcomas (BS) (osteosarcoma/Ewing's sarcoma/chondrosarcoma= 4....../3/1) operated on form 2000 to 2006. The bone defects reconstructed were proximal femoral diaphysis and epiphysis (n = 2), humeral diaphysis (n = 2), humeral proximal diaphysis and epiphysis (n = 1), femoral diaphysis (n = 1), ulnar diaphysis (n = 1), and tibial diaphysis (n = 1). One patient with Ewing......'s sarcoma had an early hip disarticulation, developed multiple metastases, and died 9 months after the operation. The remaining patients (n = 7) are all alive 50 months (range 26-75 months) after surgery. During the follow-up the following major complications were seen: 1-2 fractures (n = 4), pseudarthrosis...

  7. Maxillary reconstruction: Current concepts and controversies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subramania Iyer

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Maxillary reconstruction is still an evolving art when compared to the reconstruction of the mandible. The defects of maxilla apart from affecting the functions of the speech, swallowing and mastication also cause cosmetic disfigurement. Rehabilitation of the form and function in patients with maxillary defects is either by using an obturator prosthesis or by a surgical reconstruction. Literature is abundant with a variety of reconstructive methods. The classification systems are also varied, with no universal acceptance of any one of them. The oncologic safety of these procedures is still debated, and conclusive evidence in this regard has not emerged yet. Management of the orbit is also not yet addressed properly. Tissue engineering, that has been hyped to be one of the possible solutions for this vexing reconstructive problem, has not come out with reliable and reproducible results so far. This review article discusses the rationale and oncological safety of the reconstructing the maxillary defects, critically analyzes the classification systems, offers the different reconstructive methods and touches upon the controversies in this subject. The management of the retained and exenterated orbit associated with maxillectomy is reviewed. The surgical morbidity, complications and the recent advances in this field are also looked into. An algorithm, based on our experience, is presented.

  8. Maxillary reconstruction: Current concepts and controversies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyer, Subramania; Thankappan, Krishnakumar

    2014-01-01

    Maxillary reconstruction is still an evolving art when compared to the reconstruction of the mandible. The defects of maxilla apart from affecting the functions of the speech, swallowing and mastication also cause cosmetic disfigurement. Rehabilitation of the form and function in patients with maxillary defects is either by using an obturator prosthesis or by a surgical reconstruction. Literature is abundant with a variety of reconstructive methods. The classification systems are also varied, with no universal acceptance of any one of them. The oncologic safety of these procedures is still debated, and conclusive evidence in this regard has not emerged yet. Management of the orbit is also not yet addressed properly. Tissue engineering, that has been hyped to be one of the possible solutions for this vexing reconstructive problem, has not come out with reliable and reproducible results so far. This review article discusses the rationale and oncological safety of the reconstructing the maxillary defects, critically analyzes the classification systems, offers the different reconstructive methods and touches upon the controversies in this subject. The management of the retained and exenterated orbit associated with maxillectomy is reviewed. The surgical morbidity, complications and the recent advances in this field are also looked into. An algorithm, based on our experience, is presented. PMID:24987199

  9. Iterative reconstruction reduces abdominal CT dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinsen, Anne Catrine Trægde; Sæther, Hilde Kjernlie; Hol, Per Kristian; Olsen, Dag Rune; Skaane, Per

    2012-01-01

    Objective: In medical imaging, lowering radiation dose from computed tomography scanning, without reducing diagnostic performance is a desired achievement. Iterative image reconstruction may be one tool to achieve dose reduction. This study reports the diagnostic performance using a blending of 50% statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) and filtered back projection reconstruction (FBP) compared to standard FBP image reconstruction at different dose levels for liver phantom examinations. Methods: An anthropomorphic liver phantom was scanned at 250, 185, 155, 140, 120 and 100 mA s, on a 64-slice GE Lightspeed VCT scanner. All scans were reconstructed with ASIR and FBP. Four readers evaluated independently on a 5-point scale 21 images, each containing 32 test sectors. In total 672 areas were assessed. ROC analysis was used to evaluate the differences. Results: There was a difference in AUC between the 250 mA s FBP images and the 120 and 100 mA s FBP images. ASIR reconstruction gave a significantly higher diagnostic performance compared to standard reconstruction at 100 mA s. Conclusion: A blending of 50–90% ASIR and FBP may improve image quality of low dose CT examinations of the liver, and thus give a potential for reducing radiation dose.

  10. Image reconstruction by domain-transform manifold learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Bo; Liu, Jeremiah Z.; Cauley, Stephen F.; Rosen, Bruce R.; Rosen, Matthew S.

    2018-03-01

    Image reconstruction is essential for imaging applications across the physical and life sciences, including optical and radar systems, magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray computed tomography, positron emission tomography, ultrasound imaging and radio astronomy. During image acquisition, the sensor encodes an intermediate representation of an object in the sensor domain, which is subsequently reconstructed into an image by an inversion of the encoding function. Image reconstruction is challenging because analytic knowledge of the exact inverse transform may not exist a priori, especially in the presence of sensor non-idealities and noise. Thus, the standard reconstruction approach involves approximating the inverse function with multiple ad hoc stages in a signal processing chain, the composition of which depends on the details of each acquisition strategy, and often requires expert parameter tuning to optimize reconstruction performance. Here we present a unified framework for image reconstruction—automated transform by manifold approximation (AUTOMAP)—which recasts image reconstruction as a data-driven supervised learning task that allows a mapping between the sensor and the image domain to emerge from an appropriate corpus of training data. We implement AUTOMAP with a deep neural network and exhibit its flexibility in learning reconstruction transforms for various magnetic resonance imaging acquisition strategies, using the same network architecture and hyperparameters. We further demonstrate that manifold learning during training results in sparse representations of domain transforms along low-dimensional data manifolds, and observe superior immunity to noise and a reduction in reconstruction artefacts compared with conventional handcrafted reconstruction methods. In addition to improving the reconstruction performance of existing acquisition methodologies, we anticipate that AUTOMAP and other learned reconstruction approaches will accelerate the development

  11. A Reduction of the Graph Reconstruction Conjecture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monikandan S.

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available A graph is said to be reconstructible if it is determined up to isomor- phism from the collection of all its one-vertex deleted unlabeled subgraphs. Reconstruction Conjecture (RC asserts that all graphs on at least three vertices are reconstructible. In this paper, we prove that interval-regular graphs and some new classes of graphs are reconstructible and show that RC is true if and only if all non-geodetic and non-interval-regular blocks G with diam(G = 2 or diam(Ḡ = diam(G = 3 are reconstructible

  12. In Vivo Study of Ligament-Bone Healing after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Autologous Tendons with Mesenchymal Stem Cells Affinity Peptide Conjugated Electrospun Nanofibrous Scaffold

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingxian Zhu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Electrospinning nanofibrous scaffold was commonly used in tissue regeneration recently. Nanofibers with specific topological characteristics were reported to be able to induce osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. In this in vivo study, autologous tendon grafts with lattice-like nanofibrous scaffold wrapping at two ends of autologous tendon were used to promote early stage of ligament-bone healing after rabbit ACL reconstruction. To utilize native MSCs from bone marrow, an MSCs specific affinity peptide E7 was conjugated to nanofibrous meshes. After 3 months, H-E assessment and specific staining of collagen type I, II, and III showed direct ligament-bone insertion with typical four zones (bone, calcified fibrocartilage, fibrocartilage, and ligament in bioactive scaffold reconstruction group. Diameters of bone tunnel were smaller in nanofibrous scaffold conjugated E7 peptide group than those in control group. The failure load of substitution complex also indicated a stronger ligament-bone insertion healing using bioactive scaffold. In conclusion, lattice-like nanofibrous scaffold with specific MSCs affinity peptide has great potential in promoting early stage of ligament-bone healing after ACL reconstruction.

  13. Reconstructing Topological Graphs and Continua

    OpenAIRE

    Gartside, Paul; Pitz, Max F.; Suabedissen, Rolf

    2015-01-01

    The deck of a topological space $X$ is the set $\\mathcal{D}(X)=\\{[X \\setminus \\{x\\}] \\colon x \\in X\\}$, where $[Z]$ denotes the homeomorphism class of $Z$. A space $X$ is topologically reconstructible if whenever $\\mathcal{D}(X)=\\mathcal{D}(Y)$ then $X$ is homeomorphic to $Y$. It is shown that all metrizable compact connected spaces are reconstructible. It follows that all finite graphs, when viewed as a 1-dimensional cell-complex, are reconstructible in the topological sense, and more genera...

  14. Delayed breast implant reconstruction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hvilsom, Gitte B.; Hölmich, Lisbet R.; Steding-Jessen, Marianne

    2012-01-01

    We evaluated the association between radiation therapy and severe capsular contracture or reoperation after 717 delayed breast implant reconstruction procedures (288 1- and 429 2-stage procedures) identified in the prospective database of the Danish Registry for Plastic Surgery of the Breast during...... of radiation therapy was associated with a non-significantly increased risk of reoperation after both 1-stage (HR = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7-2.5) and 2-stage (HR = 1.6; 95% CI: 0.9-3.1) procedures. Reconstruction failure was highest (13.2%) in the 2-stage procedures with a history of radiation therapy. Breast...... reconstruction approaches other than implants should be seriously considered among women who have received radiation therapy....

  15. Accuracy of fibula reconstruction using patient-specific CAD/CAM reconstruction plates and dental implants : A new modality for functional reconstruction of mandibular defects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schepers, Rutger H.; Raghoebar, Gerry M.; Vissink, Arjan; Stenekes, Martin W.; Kraeima, Joep; Roodenburg, Jan L.; Reintsema, Harry; Witjes, Max J.

    Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the accuracy of mandibular reconstruction using patient-specific computer-aided designed and computer-aided manufactured (CAD/CAM) reconstruction plates as a guide to place fibula grafts and dental implants in a one-stage procedure using

  16. Knee functions and a return to sports activity in competitive athletes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakayama, Y; Shirai, Y; Narita, T; Mori, A; Kobayashi, K

    2000-06-01

    We investigated knee functions and a return to sports in 50 competitive athlete patients treated with arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using double-looped STG augmented by woven polyester at a 1-year follow-up. There were 25 males and 25 females with a mean age of 24.3 years (range: 19-39 years). The majority of preinjury sports were basketball, volleyball and soccer. Athletic rehabilitation including agility training and sports-specific training was started at 12 weeks. Fourty patients (80%) was rated as normal or nearly normal on the assessment of International Knee Documentation Commitee postoperatively. Fourty-eight patients (96%) obtained full range of motion, and the mean quadriceps muscle strength of the injured side was 91.3%of that of the uninjured side. As for a return to sports, 46 patients (92%) were able to do fully competitive sports at a mean of 8.1 postoperative months. These results suggest that arthroscopic reconstruction using augmented double-looped STG allows early athletic rehabilitation, and lead satisfactory outcome as well as a reliable and early return to preinjury level of sport activity for the majority of the competitive athlete patients.

  17. Alpha image reconstruction (AIR): A new iterative CT image reconstruction approach using voxel-wise alpha blending

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofmann, Christian; Sawall, Stefan; Knaup, Michael; Kachelrieß, Marc

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Iterative image reconstruction gains more and more interest in clinical routine, as it promises to reduce image noise (and thereby patient dose), to reduce artifacts, or to improve spatial resolution. Among vendors and researchers, however, there is no consensus of how to best achieve these aims. The general approach is to incorporatea priori knowledge into iterative image reconstruction, for example, by adding additional constraints to the cost function, which penalize variations between neighboring voxels. However, this approach to regularization in general poses a resolution noise trade-off because the stronger the regularization, and thus the noise reduction, the stronger the loss of spatial resolution and thus loss of anatomical detail. The authors propose a method which tries to improve this trade-off. The proposed reconstruction algorithm is called alpha image reconstruction (AIR). One starts with generating basis images, which emphasize certain desired image properties, like high resolution or low noise. The AIR algorithm reconstructs voxel-specific weighting coefficients that are applied to combine the basis images. By combining the desired properties of each basis image, one can generate an image with lower noise and maintained high contrast resolution thus improving the resolution noise trade-off. Methods: All simulations and reconstructions are performed in native fan-beam geometry. A water phantom with resolution bar patterns and low contrast disks is simulated. A filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction with a Ram-Lak kernel is used as a reference reconstruction. The results of AIR are compared against the FBP results and against a penalized weighted least squares reconstruction which uses total variation as regularization. The simulations are based on the geometry of the Siemens Somatom Definition Flash scanner. To quantitatively assess image quality, the authors analyze line profiles through resolution patterns to define a contrast

  18. [Reconstructive surgery of cranio-orbital injuries].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eolchiian, S A; Potapov, A A; Serova, N K; Kataev, M G; Sergeeva, L A; Zakharova, N E; Van Damm, P

    2011-01-01

    The aim of study was to optimize evaluation and surgery of cranioorbital injuries in different periods after trauma. Material and methods. We analyzed 374 patients with cranioorbital injuries treated in Burdenko Neurosurgery Institute in different periods after trauma from January 1998 till April 2010. 288 (77%) underwent skull and facial skeleton reconstructive surgery within 24 hours - 7 years after trauma. Clinical and CT examination data were used for preoperative planning and assessment of surgery results. Stereolithographic models (STLM) were applied for preoperative planning in 89 cases. The follow-up period ranged from 4 months up to 10 years. Results. In 254 (88%) of 288 patients reconstruction of anterior skull base, upper and/or midface with restoration of different parts of orbit was performed. Anterior skull base CSF leaks repair, calvarial vault reconstruction, maxillar and mandibular osteosynthesis were done in 34 (12%) cases. 242 (84%) of 288 patients underwent one reconstructive operation, while 46 (16%)--two and more (totally 105 operations). The patients with extended frontoorbital and midface fractures commonly needed more than one operation--in 27 (62.8%) cases. Different plastic materials were used for reconstruction in 233 (80.9%) patients, of those in 147 (51%) cases split calvarial bone grafts were preferred. Good functional and cosmetic results were achieved in 261 (90.6%) of 288 patients while acceptable were observed in 27 (9.4%). Conclusion. Active single-stage surgical management for repair of combined cranioorbital injury in acute period with primary reconstruction optimizes functional and cosmetic outcomes and prevents the problems of delayed or secondary reconstruction. Severe extended anterior skull base, upper and midface injuries when intracranial surgery is needed produced the most challenging difficulties for adequate reconstruction. Randomized trial is required to define the extent and optimal timing of reconstructive surgery

  19. New insights on historic droughts in the UK: Analysis of 200 river flow reconstructions for 1890-2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parry, Simon; Barker, Lucy; Hannaford, Jamie; Prudhomme, Christel; Smith, Katie; Svensson, Cecilia; Tanguy, Maliko

    2017-04-01

    Hydrological droughts of the last 50 years in the UK have been well characterised owing to a relatively dense hydrometric network. Prior to this, observed river flow data were generally limited in their spatial coverage and often subject to considerable uncertainty. Whilst qualitative records indicate the occurrence of severe droughts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including scenarios which may cause substantial impacts to contemporary water supply systems, existing observations are not sufficient to describe their spatio-temporal characteristics. As such, insights on drought in the UK are constrained and a range of stakeholders including water companies and regulators would benefit from a more thorough assessment of historic drought characteristics and their variability. The multi-disciplinary Historic Droughts project aims to rigorously characterise droughts in the UK to inform improved drought management and communication. Driven by rainfall and potential evapotranspiration data that have been extended using recovered records, lumped catchment hydrological models are used to reconstruct daily river flows from 1890 to 2015 for more than 200 catchments across the UK. The reconstructions are derived within a state-of-the-art modelling framework which allows a comprehensive assessment of model, structure and parameter uncertainty. Standardised and threshold-based indicators are applied to the river flow reconstructions to identify and characterise hydrological drought events. The reconstructions are most beneficial in comprehensively describing well known but poorly quantified late 19th and early 20th century droughts, placing the spatial and temporal footprint of these often extreme events within the context of modern episodes for the first time. Oscillations between drought-rich and drought-poor periods are shown not to be limited to the recent observational past, providing an increased sample size of events against which to test a range of airflow and

  20. Compressed Sensing, Pseudodictionary-Based, Superresolution Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-mei Li

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The spatial resolution of digital images is the critical factor that affects photogrammetry precision. Single-frame, superresolution, image reconstruction is a typical underdetermined, inverse problem. To solve this type of problem, a compressive, sensing, pseudodictionary-based, superresolution reconstruction method is proposed in this study. The proposed method achieves pseudodictionary learning with an available low-resolution image and uses the K-SVD algorithm, which is based on the sparse characteristics of the digital image. Then, the sparse representation coefficient of the low-resolution image is obtained by solving the norm of l0 minimization problem, and the sparse coefficient and high-resolution pseudodictionary are used to reconstruct image tiles with high resolution. Finally, single-frame-image superresolution reconstruction is achieved. The proposed method is applied to photogrammetric images, and the experimental results indicate that the proposed method effectively increase image resolution, increase image information content, and achieve superresolution reconstruction. The reconstructed results are better than those obtained from traditional interpolation methods in aspect of visual effects and quantitative indicators.

  1. Water, plants, and early human habitats in eastern Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magill, Clayton R; Ashley, Gail M; Freeman, Katherine H

    2013-01-22

    Water and its influence on plants likely exerted strong adaptive pressures in human evolution. Understanding relationships among water, plants, and early humans is limited both by incomplete terrestrial records of environmental change and by indirect proxy data for water availability. Here we present a continuous record of stable hydrogen-isotope compositions (expressed as δD values) for lipid biomarkers preserved in lake sediments from an early Pleistocene archaeological site in eastern Africa--Olduvai Gorge. We convert sedimentary leaf- and algal-lipid δD values into estimates for ancient source-water δD values by accounting for biochemical, physiological, and environmental influences on isotopic fractionation via published water-lipid enrichment factors for living plants, algae, and recent sediments. Reconstructed precipitation and lake-water δD values, respectively, are consistent with modern isotopic hydrology and reveal that dramatic fluctuations in water availability accompanied ecosystem changes. Drier conditions, indicated by less negative δD values, occur in association with stable carbon-isotopic evidence for open, C(4)-dominated grassland ecosystems. Wetter conditions, indicated by lower δD values, are associated with expanded woody cover across the ancient landscape. Estimates for ancient precipitation amounts, based on reconstructed precipitation δD values, range between approximately 250 and 700 mm · y(-1) and are consistent with modern precipitation data for eastern Africa. We conclude that freshwater availability exerted a substantial influence on eastern African ecosystems and, by extension, was central to early human proliferation during periods of rapid climate change.

  2. Distributed MRI reconstruction using Gadgetron-based cloud computing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Hui; Inati, Souheil; Sørensen, Thomas Sangild; Kellman, Peter; Hansen, Michael S

    2015-03-01

    To expand the open source Gadgetron reconstruction framework to support distributed computing and to demonstrate that a multinode version of the Gadgetron can be used to provide nonlinear reconstruction with clinically acceptable latency. The Gadgetron framework was extended with new software components that enable an arbitrary number of Gadgetron instances to collaborate on a reconstruction task. This cloud-enabled version of the Gadgetron was deployed on three different distributed computing platforms ranging from a heterogeneous collection of commodity computers to the commercial Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud. The Gadgetron cloud was used to provide nonlinear, compressed sensing reconstruction on a clinical scanner with low reconstruction latency (eg, cardiac and neuroimaging applications). The proposed setup was able to handle acquisition and 11 -SPIRiT reconstruction of nine high temporal resolution real-time, cardiac short axis cine acquisitions, covering the ventricles for functional evaluation, in under 1 min. A three-dimensional high-resolution brain acquisition with 1 mm(3) isotropic pixel size was acquired and reconstructed with nonlinear reconstruction in less than 5 min. A distributed computing enabled Gadgetron provides a scalable way to improve reconstruction performance using commodity cluster computing. Nonlinear, compressed sensing reconstruction can be deployed clinically with low image reconstruction latency. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Complex Reconstruction After Sarcoma Resection and the Role of the Plastic Surgeon: A Case Series of 298 Patients Treated at a Single Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leckenby, Jonathan I; Deegan, Rachel; Grobbelaar, Adriaan O

    2018-01-01

    More than 1000 new patients present to the London Sarcoma Unit each year and between 5% and 10% require plastic surgery intervention. Advancements in radiotherapy and chemotherapy protocols combined with higher expectations for limb preservation has led to increased reconstructive challenges. Frequently, primary closure is achievable; however, larger tumors often require specialist reconstruction. A retrospective chart review of all referred patients from the London Sarcoma Unit requiring reconstruction between February 2006 and January 2015 was performed. Patients who underwent primary amputation were excluded. The total number of operations performed was 298 and the mean follow-up was 16 months (12-46 months). 51% of patients had major comorbidities. Patients could be separated into early (0-1 week postoperatively, n = 167) and late reconstructions (>1 week postoperatively, n = 131). 32 patients were reconstructed with skin grafts, 137 patients were managed with regional flaps and 129 patients were treated with free flaps. A patient with 3 or more major comorbidities resulted in a significantly increased risk of reconstructive failure (P < 0.05). Our experience has lead us to adhere to the following guidelines: (1) All patients should be reviewed in a multidisciplinary team meeting. (2) After primary excision, patients should be managed with a vacuum dressing until margins are clear. (3) Definitive reconstruction should be performed by a specialist reconstructive surgeon.

  4. Surface Reconstruction from Parallel Curves with Application to Parietal Bone Fracture Reconstruction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Majeed

    Full Text Available Maxillofacial trauma are common, secondary to road traffic accident, sports injury, falls and require sophisticated radiological imaging to precisely diagnose. A direct surgical reconstruction is complex and require clinical expertise. Bio-modelling helps in reconstructing surface model from 2D contours. In this manuscript we have constructed the 3D surface using 2D Computerized Tomography (CT scan contours. The fracture part of the cranial vault are reconstructed using GC1 rational cubic Ball curve with three free parameters, later the 2D contours are flipped into 3D with equidistant z component. The constructed surface is represented by contours blending interpolant. At the end of this manuscript a case report of parietal bone fracture is also illustrated by employing this method with a Graphical User Interface (GUI illustration.

  5. Orbital Reconstruction: Patient-Specific Orbital Floor Reconstruction Using a Mirroring Technique and a Customized Titanium Mesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarsitano, Achille; Badiali, Giovanni; Pizzigallo, Angelo; Marchetti, Claudio

    2016-10-01

    Enophthalmos is a severe complication of primary reconstruction of orbital floor fractures. The goal of secondary reconstruction procedures is to restore symmetrical globe positions to recover function and aesthetics. The authors propose a new method of orbital floor reconstruction using a mirroring technique and a customized titanium mesh, printed using a direct metal laser-sintering method. This reconstructive protocol involves 4 steps: mirroring of the healthy orbit at the affected site, virtual design of a patient-specific orbital floor mesh, CAM procedures for direct laser-sintering of the customized titanium mesh, and surgical insertion of the device. Using a computed tomography data set, the normal, uninjured side of the craniofacial skeleton was reflected onto the contralateral injured side, and a reconstructive orbital floor mesh was designed virtually on the mirrored orbital bone surface. The solid-to-layer files of the mesh were then manufactured using direct metal laser sintering, which resolves the shaping and bending biases inherent in the indirect method. An intraoperative navigation system ensured accuracy of the entire procedure. Clinical outcomes were assessed using 3dMD photogrammetry and computed tomography data in 7 treated patients. The technique described here appears to be a viable method to correct complex orbital floor defects needing delayed reconstruction. This study represents the first step in the development of a wider experimental protocol for orbital floor reconstruction using computer-assisted design-computer-assisted manufacturing technology.

  6. 3-D image reconstruction in radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grangeat, P.

    1999-01-01

    In this course, we present highlights on fully 3-D image reconstruction algorithms used in 3-D X-ray Computed Tomography (3-D-CT) and 3-D Rotational Radiography (3-D-RR). We first consider the case of spiral CT with a one-row detector. Starting from the 2-D fan-beam inversion formula for a circular trajectory, we introduce spiral CT 3-D image reconstruction algorithm using axial interpolation for each transverse slice. In order to improve the X-ray detection efficiency and to speed the acquisition process, the future is to use multi-row detectors associated with small angle cone-beam geometry. The generalization of the 2-D fan-beam image reconstruction algorithm to cone beam defined direct inversion formula referred as Feldkamp's algorithm for a circular trajectory and Wang's algorithm for a spiral trajectory. However, large area detectors does exist such as Radiological Image Intensifiers or in a near future solid state detectors. To get a larger zoom effect, it defines a cone-beam geometry associated with a large aperture angle. For this case, we introduce indirect image reconstruction algorithm by plane re-binning in the Radon domain. We will present some results from a prototype MORPHOMETER device using the RADON reconstruction software. Lastly, we consider the special case of 3-D Rotational Digital Subtraction Angiography with a restricted number of views. We introduce constraint optimization algorithm using quadratic, entropic or half-quadratic constraints. Generalized ART (Algebraic Reconstruction Technique) iterative reconstruction algorithm can be derived from the Bregman algorithm. We present reconstructed vascular trees from a prototype MORPHOMETER device. (author)

  7. Sensation Following Immediate Breast Reconstruction with Implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lagergren, Jakob; Wickman, Marie; Hansson, Per

    2010-01-01

    Sensation is a neglected aspect of the outcome of breast reconstructions with implants. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the cutaneous somatosensory status in breasts following mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with permanent adjustable prostheses and to analyze the patients' subjective experience of the sensation. Twenty-four consecutive patients diagnosed with invasive or in situ breast carcinoma were examined preoperatively and 2 years after mastectomy and reconstruction, for assessment of perception thresholds for touch, cold, warmth, and heat pain above and below the areola. Von Frey filaments and a Peltier element-based thermode were used. The patients completed a questionnaire concerning their experienced sensation in the reconstructed breast. Using quantitative somato-sensory testing, the sensation to all the examined modalities was significantly impaired compared to preoperatively. Most affected was the area above the areola. Patients given postoperative radiotherapy (n = 9) did not differ from those without radiotherapy (n = 15) regarding any of the modalities. All patients reported reduced sensation in the reconstructed breast compared to that preoperatively. Twenty-three patients stated that the reconstructed breast felt different from the other breast; nevertheless 16 reported that the reconstructed breast felt like a real breast. The study revealed sensation impairment following mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants. Patients should be informed about this effect preoperatively to allow adequate expectations regarding the sensation outcome. However, two-thirds of the study patients considered that the reconstructed breast felt like a real breast, which must be one of the main purposes of a breast reconstruction.

  8. Controversies in orbital reconstruction-III. Biomaterials for orbital reconstruction : a review with clinical recommendations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dubois, L.; Steenen, S. A.; Gooris, P. J. J.; Bos, R. R. M.; Becking, A. G.

    The goal of orbital reconstruction is to repair trauma defects, to correct the position of the eye anatomically, avoiding enophthalmos, and to restore ocular function. For the reconstruction of (trauma) defects, many surgeons recommend materials that can be bent into an anatomical shape and that

  9. Breast reconstruction and post-mastectomy radiation practice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Susie A; Hiley, Crispin; Nickleach, Dana; Petsuksiri, Janjira; Andic, Fundagul; Riesterer, Oliver; Switchenko, Jeffrey M; Torres, Mylin A

    2013-01-01

    The goal of this study was to explore the perspectives and practice of radiation oncologists who treat breast cancer patients who have had breast reconstruction. In 2010, an original electronic survey was sent to all physician members of the American Society of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Research Institute-Breast Cancer Studies Group in the United Kingdom, Thai Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Swiss Society of Radiation Oncology, and Turkish Radiation Oncology Society. We identified factors associated with radiation oncologists who treat breast cancer patients with reconstruction performed prior to radiation and obtained information regarding radiation management of the breast reconstruction. 358 radiation oncologists responded, and 60% of the physicians were from the United States. While 64% of participants agree or strongly agree that breast image affects a woman’s quality of life during radiation, 57% feel that reconstruction challenges their ability to deliver effective breast radiation. Compared with other countries, treatment within the United States was associated with a high reconstruction rate (>/= 50% of mastectomy patients) prior to radiation (p < 0.05). Delayed-immediate reconstruction with a temporary tissue expander was more common in the United States than in other countries (52% vs. 23%, p = 0.01). Among physicians who treat patients with tissue expanders, the majority (60%) prefer a moderately inflated implant with 150-250 cc of fluid rather than a completely deflated (13%) or inflated expander (28%) during radiation. Among radiation oncologists who treat reconstructions, 49% never use bolus and 40% never boost a breast reconstruction. United States physicians were more likely than physicians from other countries to boost or bolus the reconstruction irrespective of the type of reconstruction seen in their clinic patients (p < 0.01). Great variation in practice is evident from our study of radiation treatment for breast

  10. Boomerang flap reconstruction for the breast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumholtz, Michael A; Al-Shunnar, Buthainah M; Dabb, Richard W

    2002-07-01

    The boomerang-shaped latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap for breast reconstruction offers a stable platform for breast reconstruction. It allows for maximal aesthetic results with minimal complications. The authors describe a skin paddle to obtain a larger volume than either the traditional elliptical skin paddle or the extended latissimus flap. There are three specific advantages to the boomerang design: large volume, conical shape (often lacking in the traditional skin paddle), and an acceptable donor scar. Thirty-eight flaps were performed. No reconstruction interfered with patient's ongoing oncological regimen. The most common complication was seroma, which is consistent with other latissimus reconstructions.

  11. Additive manufacturing technology in reconstructive surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuller, Scott C; Moore, Michael G

    2016-10-01

    Technological advances have been part and parcel of modern reconstructive surgery, in that practitioners of this discipline are continually looking for innovative ways to perfect their craft and improve patient outcomes. We are currently in a technological climate wherein advances in computers, imaging, and science have coalesced with resulting innovative breakthroughs that are not merely limited to improved outcomes and enhanced patient care, but may provide novel approaches to training the next generation of reconstructive surgeons. New developments in software and modeling platforms, imaging modalities, tissue engineering, additive manufacturing, and customization of implants are poised to revolutionize the field of reconstructive surgery. The interface between technological advances and reconstructive surgery continues to expand. Additive manufacturing techniques continue to evolve in an effort to improve patient outcomes, decrease operative time, and serve as instructional tools for the training of reconstructive surgeons.

  12. Complications in Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction: One-year Outcomes of the Mastectomy Reconstruction Outcomes Consortium (MROC) Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkins, Edwin G; Hamill, Jennifer B; Kim, Hyungjin M; Kim, John Y; Greco, Richard J; Qi, Ji; Pusic, Andrea L

    2018-01-01

    In postmastectomy reconstruction, procedure choice is heavily influenced by the relative risks of the various options. This study sought to evaluate complications in a large, multicenter patient population. Previous studies have reported widely varying complication rates, but have been limited by their single center designs and inadequate controlling for confounders in their analyses. Eleven sites enrolled women undergoing first time, immediate, or delayed reconstruction following mastectomy for cancer treatment or prophylaxis. Procedures included expander/implant, latissimus dorsi (LD), pedicle transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (PTRAM), free TRAM (FTRAM), and deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) techniques. Data were gathered pre- and postoperatively from medical records. Separate logistic regressions were conducted for all complications and major complications (those requiring rehospitalization and/or reoperation) within 1 year. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for procedure type, controlling for site, demographic, and clinical variables. Complication rates for 2234 patients were analyzed. Compared with expander/implant reconstructions, LD (OR) 1.95, P = 0.026), PTRAM (OR 1.89, P = 0.025), FTRAM (OR 1.94, P = 0.011), and DIEP (OR 2.22, P procedures were associated with higher risks of complications. Significantly higher risks were also associated with older age, higher body mass index (BMI), immediate reconstruction, bilateral procedures, and radiation. For major complications, regression showed significantly greater risks for PTRAM (OR 1.86, P = 0.044) and DIEP (OR 1.75, P = 0.004), than expander/implant reconstructions. Failure rates were relatively low, ranging from 0% for PTRAM to 5.9% for expander/implant reconstructions. In this multicenter analysis, procedure choice and other patient variables were significant predictors of 1-year complications in breast reconstruction. These findings should be considered in counseling patients on

  13. Progressive Reconstruction: A Methodology for Stabilization and Reconstruction Operations

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Rohr, Karl C

    2006-01-01

    ... these nations in accordance with stated United States' goals. The argument follows closely current and developing United States military doctrine on stabilization, reconstruction, and counterinsurgency operations...

  14. The influence of electromyographic biofeedback therapy on knee extension following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christanell Franz

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Loss of knee extension and a deficit in quadriceps strength are frequently found following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL reconstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the addition of Eletromyographic Biofeedback (EMG BFB therapy for the vastus medialis muscle to the in the early phase of the standard rehabilitation programme could improve the range of knee extension and strength after ACL reconstruction more than a standard rehabilitation programme. The correlation between EMG measurement and passive knee extension was also investigated. Method Sixteen patients, all of whom underwent endoscopic ACL reconstruction using patellar tendon autograft, were randomly assigned to two groups: • Control group (8 patients: standard rehabilitation protocol; with full weight-bearing postoperative, knee brace (0° extension, 90° flexion, electrical stimulation, aquatics and proprioceptive training. • The EMG BFB group (8 patients: EMG BFB was added to the standard rehabilitation protocol within the first postoperative week and during each session for the next 6 weeks. Each patent attended a total of 16 outpatient physiotherapy sessions following surgery. High-Heel-Distance (HHD Test, range of motion (ROM and integrated EMG (iEMG for vastus medialis were measured preoperatively, and at the 1, 2, 4 and 6-week follow ups. Additionally, knee function, swelling and pain were evaluated using standardized scoring scales. Results At 6 weeks, passive knee extension (p  0.01 differences were found between the two groups for the assessment of knee function, swelling and pain. Conclusion The results indicate that EMG BFB therapy, in the early phase of rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction, is useful in enhancing knee extension. Improved innervation of the vastus medialis can play a key role in the development of postoperative knee extension. EMG BFB therapy is a simple, inexpensive and valuable adjunct to conventional

  15. Titanium template for scaphoid reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haefeli, M; Schaefer, D J; Schumacher, R; Müller-Gerbl, M; Honigmann, P

    2015-06-01

    Reconstruction of a non-united scaphoid with a humpback deformity involves resection of the non-union followed by bone grafting and fixation of the fragments. Intraoperative control of the reconstruction is difficult owing to the complex three-dimensional shape of the scaphoid and the other carpal bones overlying the scaphoid on lateral radiographs. We developed a titanium template that fits exactly to the surfaces of the proximal and distal scaphoid poles to define their position relative to each other after resection of the non-union. The templates were designed on three-dimensional computed tomography reconstructions and manufactured using selective laser melting technology. Ten conserved human wrists were used to simulate the reconstruction. The achieved precision measured as the deviation of the surface of the reconstructed scaphoid from its virtual counterpart was good in five cases (maximal difference 1.5 mm), moderate in one case (maximal difference 3 mm) and inadequate in four cases (difference more than 3 mm). The main problems were attributed to the template design and can be avoided by improved pre-operative planning, as shown in a clinical case. © The Author(s) 2014.

  16. Dynamic dual-tracer PET reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Fei; Liu, Huafeng; Jian, Yiqiang; Shi, Pengcheng

    2009-01-01

    Although of important medical implications, simultaneous dual-tracer positron emission tomography reconstruction remains a challenging problem, primarily because the photon measurements from dual tracers are overlapped. In this paper, we propose a simultaneous dynamic dual-tracer reconstruction of tissue activity maps based on guidance from tracer kinetics. The dual-tracer reconstruction problem is formulated in a state-space representation, where parallel compartment models serve as continuous-time system equation describing the tracer kinetic processes of dual tracers, and the imaging data is expressed as discrete sampling of the system states in measurement equation. The image reconstruction problem has therefore become a state estimation problem in a continuous-discrete hybrid paradigm, and H infinity filtering is adopted as the estimation strategy. As H infinity filtering makes no assumptions on the system and measurement statistics, robust reconstruction results can be obtained for the dual-tracer PET imaging system where the statistical properties of measurement data and system uncertainty are not available a priori, even when there are disturbances in the kinetic parameters. Experimental results on digital phantoms, Monte Carlo simulations and physical phantoms have demonstrated the superior performance.

  17. Connected Filtering by Reconstruction : Basis and New Advances

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilkinson, Michael H.F.

    2008-01-01

    Openings-by-reconstruction are the oldest connected filters, and indeed, reconstruction methodology lies at the heart of many connected operators such as levelings. Starting out from the basic reconstruction principle of iterated geodesic dilations, extensions such as the use of reconstruction

  18. CONNECTED FILTERING BY RECONSTRUCTION : BASIS AND NEW ADVANCES

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilkinson, Michael H. F.

    2008-01-01

    Openings-by-reconstruction are the oldest connected filters, and indeed, reconstruction methodology lies at the heart of many connected operators such as levelings. Starting out from the basic reconstruction principle of iterated geodesic dilations, extensions such as the use of reconstruction

  19. One-step breast reconstruction with polyurethane-covered implants after skin-sparing mastectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rancati, Alberto; Soderini, Alejandro; Dorr, Julio; Gercovich, Gustavo; Tessari, Luciano; Gonzalez, Eduardo

    2013-12-01

    Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) and immediate one-step breast reconstruction with implants has become an increasingly popular, effective treatment for selected patients with breast carcinoma. However, it is associated with high complication rates. Breast augmentation with polyurethane-covered implants (PCIs) has consistently had optimal short-term and long-term results with low rates of capsular contracture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and aesthetic outcomes of immediate one-step breast reconstruction with PCI after SSM in early breast cancer patients at a single institution. We reviewed the records of 221 consecutive breast cancer patients who underwent one-stage immediate reconstruction with PCI after SSM from 1995 through 2005. Patient and tumour characteristics, type of reconstruction, postoperative complications, aesthetic results and recurrence rate were analysed. The mean age of the patients was 52±11 years (range, 30-76; standard deviation (SD), 11). The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) pathologic stages were 0 (10%), I (63.3%) and II (26.7%). Thirty-nine (17.65%; confidence interval (CI)=13.04-23.1) of the 221 patients had complications; seven had prosthesis extrusion requiring an implant (five due to skin necrosis, one due to infection and one due to late haematoma). In six of these seven cases, the procedure was indicated for local recurrence after conservative breast surgery with adjunctive radiation therapy (rescue procedure). Thirty-two (14.4%) patients had minor complications: 12 had cutaneous rash, four had malpositioned implants and 16 had inadequate implant projection. At long-term follow-up, four (1.8%) patients had developed grade IV capsular contracture associated with postoperative radiation therapy. At a median follow-up of 98 months (range, 36-156), 14 (6.3%) patients had tumour recurrence and 12.2% had distant metastasis. Nineteen patients had died of cancer, and 192 (86.8%) remained disease free. One

  20. SUSY searches in early CMS data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tricomi, A

    2008-01-01

    In the first year of data taking at LHC, the CMS experiment expects to collect about 1 fb -1 of data, which make possible the first searches for new phenomena. All such searches require however the measurement of the SM background and a detailed understanding of the detector performance, reconstruction algorithms and triggering. The CMS efforts are hence addressed to designing a realistic analysis plan in preparation to the data taking. In this paper, the CMS perspectives and analysis strategies for Supersymmetry (SUSY) discovery with early data are presented

  1. Accelerated high-frame-rate mouse heart cine-MRI using compressed sensing reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motaal, Abdallah G; Coolen, Bram F; Abdurrachim, Desiree; Castro, Rui M; Prompers, Jeanine J; Florack, Luc M J; Nicolay, Klaas; Strijkers, Gustav J

    2013-04-01

    We introduce a new protocol to obtain very high-frame-rate cinematographic (Cine) MRI movies of the beating mouse heart within a reasonable measurement time. The method is based on a self-gated accelerated fast low-angle shot (FLASH) acquisition and compressed sensing reconstruction. Key to our approach is that we exploit the stochastic nature of the retrospective triggering acquisition scheme to produce an undersampled and random k-t space filling that allows for compressed sensing reconstruction and acceleration. As a standard, a self-gated FLASH sequence with a total acquisition time of 10 min was used to produce single-slice Cine movies of seven mouse hearts with 90 frames per cardiac cycle. Two times (2×) and three times (3×) k-t space undersampled Cine movies were produced from 2.5- and 1.5-min data acquisitions, respectively. The accelerated 90-frame Cine movies of mouse hearts were successfully reconstructed with a compressed sensing algorithm. The movies had high image quality and the undersampling artifacts were effectively removed. Left ventricular functional parameters, i.e. end-systolic and end-diastolic lumen surface areas and early-to-late filling rate ratio as a parameter to evaluate diastolic function, derived from the standard and accelerated Cine movies, were nearly identical. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Tomographic reconstruction of binary fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roux, Stéphane; Leclerc, Hugo; Hild, François

    2012-01-01

    A novel algorithm is proposed for reconstructing binary images from their projection along a set of different orientations. Based on a nonlinear transformation of the projection data, classical back-projection procedures can be used iteratively to converge to the sought image. A multiscale implementation allows for a faster convergence. The algorithm is tested on images up to 1 Mb definition, and an error free reconstruction is achieved with a very limited number of projection data, saving a factor of about 100 on the number of projections required for classical reconstruction algorithms.

  3. Palaeobotanical data for climate change during the late Miocene - early Pliocene in Western Bulgaria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hristova, Viktoria; Ivanov, Dimiter; Bozukov, Vladimir

    2015-01-01

    The Coexistence Approach (CA) analysis was applied to plant macro- and microfossils from the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene sites in western Bulgaria to obtain quantitative climate data and reconstruct climate dynamics. Calculated new values for the Sofia macro flora confirmed a warm-temperate and humid climate with mean annual temperature (MAT) between 12–170C, mean temperature of the warmest month (WMT) 23.6–280C, mean temperature of the coldest month (CMT) 0–50C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) 843–1179 mm. This is consistent with the climatic parameters obtained from the microflora – MAT 13.6–16, WMT 23.6–27.9, CMT 3.7–6 and MAP 803–1308mm. All presented data are in good accordance with other regional palaeoclimate reconstructions from Bulgarian and Europaean floras. Key words: Late Miocene–Early Pliocene, palaeoclimate, Sofia Basin

  4. A 60-yr record of atmospheric carbon monoxide reconstructed from Greenland firn air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrenko, V. V.; Martinerie, P.; Novelli, P.; Etheridge, D. M.; Levin, I.; Wang, Z.; Blunier, T.; Chappellaz, J.; Kaiser, J.; Lang, P.; Steele, L. P.; Hammer, S.; Mak, J.; Langenfelds, R. L.; Schwander, J.; Severinghaus, J. P.; Witrant, E.; Petron, G.; Battle, M. O.; Forster, G.; Sturges, W. T.; Lamarque, J.-F.; Steffen, K.; White, J. W. C.

    2012-08-01

    We present a reconstruction of the Northern Hemisphere (NH) high latitude atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) mole fraction from Greenland firn air. Firn air samples were collected at three deep ice core sites in Greenland (NGRIP in 2001, Summit in 2006 and NEEM in 2008). CO records from the three sites agree well with each other as well as with recent atmospheric measurements, indicating that CO is well preserved in the firn at these sites. CO atmospheric history was reconstructed back to the year 1950 from the measurements using a combination of two forward models of gas transport in firn and an inverse model. The reconstructed history suggests that Arctic CO was already higher in 1950 than it is today. CO mole fractions rose gradually until the 1970s and peaked in the 1970s or early 1980s, followed by a decline to today's levels. We compare the CO history with the atmospheric histories of methane, light hydrocarbons, molecular hydrogen, CO stable isotopes and hydroxyl radical (OH), as well as with published CO emission inventories and results of a historical run from a chemistry-transport model. We find that the reconstructed Greenland CO history cannot be reconciled with available emission inventories unless large changes in OH are assumed. We argue that the available CO emission inventories chronically underestimate NH emissions, and fail to capture the emission decline starting in the late 1970s, which was most likely due to reduced emissions from road transportation in North America and Europe.

  5. Quality of life outcome measures using UW-QOL questionnaire v4 in early oral cancer/squamous cell cancer resections of the tongue and floor of mouth with reconstruction solely using local methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyapati, Raghuram P; Shah, Ketan C; Flood, Valerie; Stassen, Leo F A

    2013-09-01

    Cancer treatment either by surgery alone or in a combination of surgery, radiotherapy±chemotherapy has significant consequences on the physical, mental, emotional and psychosocial wellbeing of the patient. Measurement of quality of life (QOL) is necessary to understand the patient's perception of their own treatment, as clinicians' views can be biased. Reconstruction of a cancerous defect with a free vascular flap is ideal in large, often composite defects, provided it is appropriate to the advanced stage and prognosis of the disease, medical condition of the patient, availability of surgical and financial resources and allows the prosthetic rehabilitation of the anatomic area. Using University of Washington Quality of life 4 questionnaire (UW-QOL4), we assessed the QOL of 38 patients, who underwent local surgical reconstructions after resection of T1/T2 tongue/floor of mouth squamous cell carcinoma defects. Objective assessment of speech and swallow function was also carried out using therapy outcome measure (TOM) scores by the speech and language therapy team (SALT) aiming to see the differences in the scores obtained in patients who underwent post-operative radiotherapy. Our study, conducted 6months after completion of all oncologic treatment for the primary disease, showed satisfactory levels of quality of life parameters with good function showing that local reconstructive methods are successful and may have benefits in the management of early oral cancers involving the tongue and floor of mouth. They are beneficial by providing a good quality in terms of function, by reducing the operating time, the surgical morbidity, simplifying post-operative care and thereby becoming an efficient, effective and a cost effective method. Copyright © 2012 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. CURRENT CONCEPTS IN ACL RECONSTRUCTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Freddie H. Fu

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Current Concepts in ACL Reconstruction is a complete reference text composed of the most thorough collection of topics on the ACL and its surgical reconstruction compiled, with contributions from some of the world's experts and most experienced ACL surgeons. Various procedures mentioned throughout the text are also demonstrated in an accompanying video CD-ROM. PURPOSE Composing a single, comprehensive and complete information source on ACL including basic sciences, clinical issues, latest concepts and surgical techniques, from evaluation to outcome, from history to future, editors and contributors have targeted to keep the audience pace with the latest concepts and techniques for the evaluation and the treatment of ACL injuries. FEATURES The text is composed of 27 chapters in 6 sections. The first section is mostly about basic sciences, also history of the ACL, imaging, clinical approach to adolescent and pediatric patients are subjected. In the second section, Graft Choices and Arthroscopy Portals for ACL Reconstruction are mentioned. The third section is about the technique and the outcome of the single-bundle ACL reconstruction. The fourth chapter includes the techniques and outcome of the double-bundle ACL reconstruction. In the fifth chapter revision, navigation technology, rehabilitation and the evaluation of the outcome of ACL reconstruction is subjected. The sixth/the last chapter is about the future advances to reach: What We Have Learned and the Future of ACL Reconstruction. AUDIENCE Orthopedic residents, sports traumatology and knee surgery fellows, orthopedic surgeons, also scientists in basic sciences or clinicians who are studying or planning a research on ACL forms the audience group of this book. ASSESSMENT This is the latest, the most complete and comprehensive textbook of ACL reconstruction produced by the editorial work up of two pioneer and masters "Freddie H. Fu MD and Steven B. Cohen MD" with the contribution of world

  7. Fluorescence background subtraction technique for hybrid fluorescence molecular tomography/x-ray computed tomography imaging of a mouse model of early stage lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ale, Angelique; Ermolayev, Vladimir; Deliolanis, Nikolaos C; Ntziachristos, Vasilis

    2013-05-01

    The ability to visualize early stage lung cancer is important in the study of biomarkers and targeting agents that could lead to earlier diagnosis. The recent development of hybrid free-space 360-deg fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) and x-ray computed tomography (XCT) imaging yields a superior optical imaging modality for three-dimensional small animal fluorescence imaging over stand-alone optical systems. Imaging accuracy was improved by using XCT information in the fluorescence reconstruction method. Despite this progress, the detection sensitivity of targeted fluorescence agents remains limited by nonspecific background accumulation of the fluorochrome employed, which complicates early detection of murine cancers. Therefore we examine whether x-ray CT information and bulk fluorescence detection can be combined to increase detection sensitivity. Correspondingly, we research the performance of a data-driven fluorescence background estimator employed for subtraction of background fluorescence from acquisition data. Using mice containing known fluorochromes ex vivo, we demonstrate the reduction of background signals from reconstructed images and sensitivity improvements. Finally, by applying the method to in vivo data from K-ras transgenic mice developing lung cancer, we find small tumors at an early stage compared with reconstructions performed using raw data. We conclude with the benefits of employing fluorescence subtraction in hybrid FMT-XCT for early detection studies.

  8. Sensory Evolution and Ecology of Early Turtles Revealed by Digital Endocranial Reconstructions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephan Lautenschlager

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available In the past few years, new fossil finds and novel methodological approaches have prompted intensive discussions about the phylogenetic affinities of turtles and rekindled the debate on their ecological origin, with very distinct scenarios, such as fossoriality and aquatic habitat occupation, proposed for the earliest stem-turtles. While research has focused largely on the origin of the anapsid skull and unique postcranial anatomy, little is known about the endocranial anatomy of turtles. Here, we provide 3D digital reconstructions and comparative descriptions of the brain, nasal cavity, neurovascular structures and endosseous labyrinth of Proganochelys quenstedti, one of the earliest stem-turtles, as well as other turtle taxa. Our results demonstrate that P. quenstedti retained a simple tube-like brain morphology with poorly differentiated regions and mediocre hearing and vision, but a well-developed olfactory sense. Endocast shape analysis indicates that an increase in size and regionalization of the brain took place in the course of turtle evolution, achieving an endocast diversity comparable to other amniote groups. Based on the new evidence presented herein, we further conclude that P. quenstedti was a highly terrestrial, but most likely not fossorial, taxon.

  9. Climate Reconstructions

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The NOAA Paleoclimatology Program archives reconstructions of past climatic conditions derived from paleoclimate proxies, in addition to the Program's large holdings...

  10. Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project independent direction and oversight

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blazek, M.L.; Power, M.

    1991-01-01

    Hanford was selected in 1942 as one of the sites for the Manhattan Project. It produced plutonium for one of the world's first nuclear weapons. The US Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors continued to make plutonium for nuclear weapons at Hanford for more than four decades. In the early days of Hanford operations, radioactive materials routinely were released to the environment by many processes. The DOE disclosed documents about these releases in 1986. In 1987, Washington, Oregon, and regional Indian tribes gathered an independent panel of experts. This group recommended dose reconstruction and health effects feasibility studies. Later that year, DOE hired Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to reconstruct potential public radiation doses from Hanford's past releases of radioactive material. The DOE agreed with the states and tribes that project direction would come from an independent technical steering panel (TSP). This approach was critical to gain public credibility for the project and the science. The TSP directs the project and makes policy. That is now clear - but, it was hard-earned. Conducting science in an open public process is new, challenging, and clearly worthwhile. The panel's product is good science that is believed and accepted by the public - our client

  11. The use of deciduous molars in EPR dose reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-faramawy, N.A.; Wieser, A.

    2005-01-01

    The use of deciduous teeth in EPR dose reconstruction has the unique potential to measure individual doses that were accumulated in the early childhood in the age up to 12 years. It was found previously that due to the small size of deciduous incisors, the available amount of enamel is not sufficient for EPR measurements. Therefore, dose assessment with deciduous incisors can only be done by measurement of whole teeth, including enamel and dentine. The measurement of whole teeth instead of enamel alone is possibly less reliable for dose reconstruction because the stability of CO 2 - radicals (that are an indicator for the absorbed dose) in biologically active dentine is not known. In the present study naturally loosed deciduous molars were investigated. The feasibility of separating enamel from small size molars was analysed. EPR spectrum parameters of whole molars and separated enamel only were evaluated before and after laboratory irradiation. The EPR signal amplitudes of the CO 2 - and native signals were determined by spectrum deconvolution, in dependence on radiation dose in the range 0.1 - 10 Gy. The fading at room temperature of native and CO 2 - EPR signals was analysed. The detection threshold for absorbed dose in enamel was determined.

  12. Top reconstruction and boosted top experimental overview

    CERN Document Server

    Skinnari, Louise

    2015-01-01

    An overview of techniques used to reconstruct resolved and boosted top quarks is presented. Techniques for resolved top quark reconstruction include kinematic likelihood fitters and pseudo- top reconstruction. Many tools and methods are available for the reconstruction of boosted top quarks, such as jet grooming techniques, jet substructure variables, and dedicated top taggers. Different techniques as used by ATLAS and CMS analyses are described and the performance of different variables and top taggers are shown.

  13. Sparse Image Reconstruction in Computed Tomography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Jakob Sauer

    In recent years, increased focus on the potentially harmful effects of x-ray computed tomography (CT) scans, such as radiation-induced cancer, has motivated research on new low-dose imaging techniques. Sparse image reconstruction methods, as studied for instance in the field of compressed sensing...... applications. This thesis takes a systematic approach toward establishing quantitative understanding of conditions for sparse reconstruction to work well in CT. A general framework for analyzing sparse reconstruction methods in CT is introduced and two sets of computational tools are proposed: 1...... contributions to a general set of computational characterization tools. Thus, the thesis contributions help advance sparse reconstruction methods toward routine use in...

  14. Medical image reconstruction. A conceptual tutorial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeng, Gengsheng Lawrence

    2010-01-01

    ''Medical Image Reconstruction: A Conceptual Tutorial'' introduces the classical and modern image reconstruction technologies, such as two-dimensional (2D) parallel-beam and fan-beam imaging, three-dimensional (3D) parallel ray, parallel plane, and cone-beam imaging. This book presents both analytical and iterative methods of these technologies and their applications in X-ray CT (computed tomography), SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography), PET (positron emission tomography), and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Contemporary research results in exact region-of-interest (ROI) reconstruction with truncated projections, Katsevich's cone-beam filtered backprojection algorithm, and reconstruction with highly undersampled data with l 0 -minimization are also included. (orig.)

  15. Reconstruction design before tumour resection: A new concept of through-and-through cheek defect reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Zhao-Jian; Ren, Zhen-Hu; Wang, Kai; Tan, Hong-Yu; Zhang, Sheng; Wu, Han-Jiang

    2017-11-01

    To explore a new method of reconstruction of through-and-through cheek defects and to evaluate this method's efficacy and patient prognosis. This retrospective study included 70 patients who underwent reconstruction of through-and-through cheek defects. The surgical approach, design of facial skin incisions, selection and design of flaps, postoperative quality of life and prognosis of patients were recorded and reported. Postoperative quality of life gradually increased over time, and the mean scores of University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) Questionnaire was more than 80 at 1-year postoperatively. The appearance, oral competence, chewing, swallowing, speech and other oral functions were well recovered in about 90% of patients at 1-year postoperatively. This new idea of reconstruction before tumour resection, brings the effect of plastic and reconstructive surgery to a new height. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Considerations on Xi- reconstruction in LHCb

    CERN Document Server

    Brochu, F.M.

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes an alternative method of charged hyperon reconstruction applicable to the LHCb experiment. It extends the seminal work of the FOCUS collaboration to the specific detector layout of LHCb and addresses the reconstruction ambiguities reported in their earlier work, leading to improvements in the reconstruction efficiency for the specific cases of Xi- and Omega- baryon decays to a charged meson and a Lambda baryon.

  17. A biomechanical modeling-guided simultaneous motion estimation and image reconstruction technique (SMEIR-Bio) for 4D-CBCT reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaokun; Zhang, You; Wang, Jing

    2018-02-01

    Reconstructing four-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography (4D-CBCT) images directly from respiratory phase-sorted traditional 3D-CBCT projections can capture target motion trajectory, reduce motion artifacts, and reduce imaging dose and time. However, the limited numbers of projections in each phase after phase-sorting decreases CBCT image quality under traditional reconstruction techniques. To address this problem, we developed a simultaneous motion estimation and image reconstruction (SMEIR) algorithm, an iterative method that can reconstruct higher quality 4D-CBCT images from limited projections using an inter-phase intensity-driven motion model. However, the accuracy of the intensity-driven motion model is limited in regions with fine details whose quality is degraded due to insufficient projection number, which consequently degrades the reconstructed image quality in corresponding regions. In this study, we developed a new 4D-CBCT reconstruction algorithm by introducing biomechanical modeling into SMEIR (SMEIR-Bio) to boost the accuracy of the motion model in regions with small fine structures. The biomechanical modeling uses tetrahedral meshes to model organs of interest and solves internal organ motion using tissue elasticity parameters and mesh boundary conditions. This physics-driven approach enhances the accuracy of solved motion in the organ’s fine structures regions. This study used 11 lung patient cases to evaluate the performance of SMEIR-Bio, making both qualitative and quantitative comparisons between SMEIR-Bio, SMEIR, and the algebraic reconstruction technique with total variation regularization (ART-TV). The reconstruction results suggest that SMEIR-Bio improves the motion model’s accuracy in regions containing small fine details, which consequently enhances the accuracy and quality of the reconstructed 4D-CBCT images.

  18. A new technique of bladder neck reconstruction during radical prostatectomy in patients with prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuri Tolkach

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACTPurpose:To evaluate continence after radical prostatectomy in prostate cancer patients, in whom a new method of the bladder neck reconstruction (BNR using deep dorsal stitch was implemented (deep single stitch through all bladder layers directly dorsal to the bladder opening after “tennis racket” reconstruction and to provide justification for its use by means of anatomical study in cadavers.Material and Methods:Open radical retropubic prostatectomy was performed in 84 patients: 39 patients with a new BNR method used to improve continence and control group of 45 patients with standard “tennis racket” BNR. Median follow-up was 14 months in control group and 12 months in study group. Continence recovery was accessed early postoperatively and every 3 months thereafter. Anatomical study was performed on 2 male fresh cadavers reproducing two different BNR techniques to clarify any underlying continence related mechanisms.Results:Patients with new BNR achieved full continence significantly faster (p=0.041, but the continence rates after 12 months were similar between groups. The severity of incontinence up to month 9 was significantly reduced in BNR group. The anastomotic stricture rate was not affected. Applying new BNR to the cadaver model revealed effects on early continence, namely presence of proximal passive closure mechanism in area of bladder neck.Conclusions:Continence in patients with the new BNR method using deep dorsal stitch recovered significantly faster. Moreover, a reduced grade of residual incontinence was documented. The effect was non-significant at month 12 of follow-up, meaning that only early effect was present.

  19. Updates in Head and Neck Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Largo, Rene D; Garvey, Patrick B

    2018-02-01

    After reading this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Have a basic understanding of virtual planning, rapid prototype modeling, three-dimensional printing, and computer-assisted design and manufacture. 2. Understand the principles of combining virtual planning and vascular mapping. 3. Understand principles of flap choice and design in preoperative planning of free osteocutaneous flaps in mandible and midface reconstruction. 4. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of computer-assisted design and manufacture in reconstruction of advanced oncologic mandible and midface defects. Virtual planning and rapid prototype modeling are increasingly used in head and neck reconstruction with the aim of achieving superior surgical outcomes in functionally and aesthetically critical areas of the head and neck compared with conventional reconstruction. The reconstructive surgeon must be able to understand this rapidly-advancing technology, along with its advantages and disadvantages. There is no limit to the degree to which patient-specific data may be integrated into the virtual planning process. For example, vascular mapping can be incorporated into virtual planning of mandible or midface reconstruction. Representative mandible and midface cases are presented to illustrate the process of virtual planning. Although virtual planning has become helpful in head and neck reconstruction, its routine use may be limited by logistic challenges, increased acquisition costs, and limited flexibility for intraoperative modifications. Nevertheless, the authors believe that the superior functional and aesthetic results realized with virtual planning outweigh the limitations.

  20. Towards community-driven paleogeographic reconstructions: integrating open-access paleogeographic and paleobiology data with plate tectonics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Wright

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available A variety of paleogeographic reconstructions have been published, with applications ranging from paleoclimate, ocean circulation and faunal radiation models to resource exploration; yet their uncertainties remain difficult to assess as they are generally presented as low-resolution static maps. We present a methodology for ground-truthing the digital Palaeogeographic Atlas of Australia by linking the GPlates plate reconstruction tool to the global Paleobiology Database and a Phanerozoic plate motion model. We develop a spatio-temporal data mining workflow to validate the Phanerozoic Palaeogeographic Atlas of Australia with paleoenvironments derived from fossil data. While there is general agreement between fossil data and the paleogeographic model, the methodology highlights key inconsistencies. The Early Devonian paleogeographic model of southeastern Australia insufficiently describes the Emsian inundation that may be refined using biofacies distributions. Additionally, the paleogeographic model and fossil data can be used to strengthen numerical models, such as the dynamic topography and the associated inundation of eastern Australia during the Cretaceous. Although paleobiology data provide constraints only for paleoenvironments with high preservation potential of organisms, our approach enables the use of additional proxy data to generate improved paleogeographic reconstructions.

  1. Secondary reconstruction of maxillofacial trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro-Núñez, Jaime; Van Sickels, Joseph E

    2017-08-01

    Craniomaxillofacial trauma is one of the most complex clinical conditions in contemporary maxillofacial surgery. Vital structures and possible functional and esthetic sequelae are important considerations following this type of trauma and intervention. Despite the best efforts of the primary surgery, there are a group of patients that will have poor outcomes requiring secondary reconstruction to restore form and function. The purpose of this study is to review current concepts on secondary reconstruction to the maxillofacial complex. The evaluation of a posttraumatic patient for a secondary reconstruction must include an assessment of the different subunits of the upper face, middle face, and lower face. Virtual surgical planning and surgical guides represent the most important innovations in secondary reconstruction over the past few years. Intraoperative navigational surgery/computed-assisted navigation is used in complex cases. Facial asymmetry can be corrected or significantly improved by segmentation of the computerized tomography dataset and mirroring of the unaffected side by means of virtual surgical planning. Navigational surgery/computed-assisted navigation allows for a more precise surgical correction when secondary reconstruction involves the replacement of extensive anatomical areas. The use of technology can result in custom-made replacements and prebent plates, which are more stable and resistant to fracture because of metal fatigue. Careful perioperative evaluation is the key to positive outcomes of secondary reconstruction after trauma. The advent of technological tools has played a capital role in helping the surgical team perform a given treatment plan in a more precise and predictable manner.

  2. Clinical applications of iterative reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eberl, S.

    1998-01-01

    Expectation maximisation (EM) reconstruction largely eliminates the hot and cold streaking artifacts characteristic of filtered-back projection (FBP) reconstruction around localised hot areas, such as the bladder. It also substantially reduces the problem of decreased inferior wall counts in MIBI myocardial perfusion studies due to ''streaking'' from high liver uptake. Non-uniform attenuation and scatter correction, resolution recovery, anatomical information, e.g. from MRI or CT tracer kinetic modelling, can all be built into the EM reconstruction imaging model. The properties of ordered subset EM (OSEM) have also been used to correct for known patient motion as part of the reconstruction process. These uses of EM are elaborated more fully in some of the other abstracts of this meeting. Currently we use OSEM routinely for: (i) studies where streaking is a problem, including all MIBI myocardial perfusion studies, to avoid hot liver inferior wall artifact, (ii) all whole body FDG PET, all lung V/Q SPECT (which have a short acquisition time) and all gated 201 TI myocardial perfusion studies due to improved noise characteristics of OSEM in these studies; (iii) studies with measured, non-uniform attenuation correction. With the accelerated OSEM algorithm, iterative reconstruction is practical for routine clinical applications and we have found OSEM to provide clearly superior reconstructions for the areas listed above and are investigating its application to other studies. In clinical use, we have not found OSEM to introduce artifacts which would not also occur with FBP, e.g. uncorrected patient motion will cause artifacts with both OSEM and FBP

  3. Polaron-Driven Surface Reconstructions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele Reticcioli

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Geometric and electronic surface reconstructions determine the physical and chemical properties of surfaces and, consequently, their functionality in applications. The reconstruction of a surface minimizes its surface free energy in otherwise thermodynamically unstable situations, typically caused by dangling bonds, lattice stress, or a divergent surface potential, and it is achieved by a cooperative modification of the atomic and electronic structure. Here, we combined first-principles calculations and surface techniques (scanning tunneling microscopy, non-contact atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling spectroscopy to report that the repulsion between negatively charged polaronic quasiparticles, formed by the interaction between excess electrons and the lattice phonon field, plays a key role in surface reconstructions. As a paradigmatic example, we explain the (1×1 to (1×2 transition in rutile TiO_{2}(110.

  4. Implications of the avian fauna for paleoecology in the Early Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Marco, A

    1999-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to reconstruct the landscape and climate during the formation of the Lower Pleistocene TD6 layer at Gran Dolina, Atapuerca. Habitat preferences and phenetic behavioural spectra of fossil birds are reconstructed using comparisons of fossil bird assemblages with modern avian communities. This method is based upon the phenology (seasonality and breeding status) of each species for both the fossil association and modern communities. The results indicate that more open country and wetter conditions prevailed during the early Pleistocene than were previously inferred. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  5. MR image reconstruction via guided filter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Heyan; Yang, Hang; Wang, Kang

    2018-04-01

    Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reconstruction from the smallest possible set of Fourier samples has been a difficult problem in medical imaging field. In our paper, we present a new approach based on a guided filter for efficient MRI recovery algorithm. The guided filter is an edge-preserving smoothing operator and has better behaviors near edges than the bilateral filter. Our reconstruction method is consist of two steps. First, we propose two cost functions which could be computed efficiently and thus obtain two different images. Second, the guided filter is used with these two obtained images for efficient edge-preserving filtering, and one image is used as the guidance image, the other one is used as a filtered image in the guided filter. In our reconstruction algorithm, we can obtain more details by introducing guided filter. We compare our reconstruction algorithm with some competitive MRI reconstruction techniques in terms of PSNR and visual quality. Simulation results are given to show the performance of our new method.

  6. High resolution x-ray CMT: Reconstruction methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brown, J.K.

    1997-02-01

    This paper qualitatively discusses the primary characteristics of methods for reconstructing tomographic images from a set of projections. These reconstruction methods can be categorized as either {open_quotes}analytic{close_quotes} or {open_quotes}iterative{close_quotes} techniques. Analytic algorithms are derived from the formal inversion of equations describing the imaging process, while iterative algorithms incorporate a model of the imaging process and provide a mechanism to iteratively improve image estimates. Analytic reconstruction algorithms are typically computationally more efficient than iterative methods; however, analytic algorithms are available for a relatively limited set of imaging geometries and situations. Thus, the framework of iterative reconstruction methods is better suited for high accuracy, tomographic reconstruction codes.

  7. A fast image reconstruction technique based on ART

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shunli; Zhang Dinghua; Wang Kai; Huang Kuidong; Li Weibin

    2007-01-01

    Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (ART) is an iterative method for image reconstruction. Improving its reconstruction speed has been one of the important researching aspects of ART. For the simplified weight coefficients reconstruction model of ART, a fast grid traverse algorithm is proposed, which can determine the grid index by simple operations such as addition, subtraction and comparison. Since the weight coefficients are calculated at real time during iteration, large amount of storage is saved and the reconstruction speed is greatly increased. Experimental results show that the new algorithm is very effective and the reconstruction speed is improved about 10 times compared with the traditional algorithm. (authors)

  8. Flip-avoiding interpolating surface registration for skull reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Shudong; Leow, Wee Kheng; Lee, Hanjing; Lim, Thiam Chye

    2018-03-30

    Skull reconstruction is an important and challenging task in craniofacial surgery planning, forensic investigation and anthropological studies. Existing methods typically reconstruct approximating surfaces that regard corresponding points on the target skull as soft constraints, thus incurring non-zero error even for non-defective parts and high overall reconstruction error. This paper proposes a novel geometric reconstruction method that non-rigidly registers an interpolating reference surface that regards corresponding target points as hard constraints, thus achieving low reconstruction error. To overcome the shortcoming of interpolating a surface, a flip-avoiding method is used to detect and exclude conflicting hard constraints that would otherwise cause surface patches to flip and self-intersect. Comprehensive test results show that our method is more accurate and robust than existing skull reconstruction methods. By incorporating symmetry constraints, it can produce more symmetric and normal results than other methods in reconstructing defective skulls with a large number of defects. It is robust against severe outliers such as radiation artifacts in computed tomography due to dental implants. In addition, test results also show that our method outperforms thin-plate spline for model resampling, which enables the active shape model to yield more accurate reconstruction results. As the reconstruction accuracy of defective parts varies with the use of different reference models, we also study the implication of reference model selection for skull reconstruction. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Vertex Reconstruction and Performance in ATLAS

    CERN Document Server

    Whitmore, Ben William; The ATLAS collaboration

    2017-01-01

    Efficient and precise reconstruction of the primary vertices in LHC collisions is essential in both the reconstruction of the full kinematic properties of a hard-scatter event and of soft interactions as a measure of the amount of pile-up. The reconstruction of the primary vertices in the busy, high pile up environment of the LHC is a challenging task. The challenges and novel methods developed by the ATLAS experiment to reconstruct vertices in such environments will be presented. The performance of the current vertexing algorithms using Run-2 data will be presented and compared to results from simulation. Additionally, data-driven methods to evaluate vertex resolution, and details of upgrades to the ATLAS inner detector will be presented.

  10. Experience With Esthetic Reconstruction of Complex Facial Soft Tissue Trauma; Application of the Pulsed Dye Laser

    OpenAIRE

    Ebrahimi; Kazemi; Nejadsarvari

    2014-01-01

    Background Facial soft tissue injury can be one of the most challenging cases presenting to the plastic surgeon. The life quality and self-esteem of the patients with facial injury may be compromised temporarily or permanently. Immediate reconstruction of most defects leads to better restoration of form and function as well as early rehabilitation. Objectives The aim of this study was to present our experience in management of fac...

  11. Early harvesting of the vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap during endoscopic skull base surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eloy, Jean Anderson; Patel, Amit A; Shukla, Pratik A; Choudhry, Osamah J; Liu, James K

    2013-01-01

    The vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap (PNSF) represents a successful option for reconstruction of large skull base defects after expanded endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEA). This vascularized flap can be harvested early or late in the operation depending on the anticipation of high-flow CSF leaks. Each harvesting technique (early vs. late) is associated with different advantages and disadvantages. In this study, we evaluate our experience with early harvesting of the PNSF for repair of large skull base defects after EEA. A retrospective review was performed at a tertiary care medical center on patients who underwent early PNSF harvesting during reconstruction of intraoperative high-flow CSF leaks after EEA between December 2008 and March 2012. Demographic data, repair materials, surgical approach, and incidence of PNSF usage were collected. Eighty-seven patients meeting the inclusion criteria were identified. In 86 procedures (98.9%), the PNSF harvested at the beginning of the operation was used. In 1 case (1.1%), the PNSF was not used because a high-flow intraoperative CSF leak was not encountered. This patient had recurrence of intradural disease 8months later, and the previously elevated PNSF was subsequent used after tumor resection. Based on our data, a high-flow CSF leak and need for a PNSF can be accurately anticipated in patients undergoing EEA for skull base lesions. Because of the advantages of early harvesting of the PNSF and the high preoperative predictive value of CSF leak anticipations, this technique represents a feasible harvesting practice for EEA surgeries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Reconstructing Nearly Simple Polytopes from their Graph

    OpenAIRE

    Doolittle, Joseph

    2017-01-01

    We present a partial description of which polytopes are reconstructible from their graphs. This is an extension of work by Blind and Mani (1987) and Kalai (1988), which showed that simple polytopes can be reconstructed from their graphs. In particular, we introduce a notion of $h$-nearly simple and prove that 1-nearly simple and 2-nearly simple polytopes are reconstructible from their graphs. We also give an example of a 3-nearly simple polytope which is not reconstructible from its graph. Fu...

  13. Constraining the temperature history of the past millennium using early instrumental observations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Brohan

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available The current assessment that twentieth-century global temperature change is unusual in the context of the last thousand years relies on estimates of temperature changes from natural proxies (tree-rings, ice-cores, etc. and climate model simulations. Confidence in such estimates is limited by difficulties in calibrating the proxies and systematic differences between proxy reconstructions and model simulations. As the difference between the estimates extends into the relatively recent period of the early nineteenth century it is possible to compare them with a reliable instrumental estimate of the temperature change over that period, provided that enough early thermometer observations, covering a wide enough expanse of the world, can be collected.

    One organisation which systematically made observations and collected the results was the English East India Company (EEIC, and their archives have been preserved in the British Library. Inspection of those archives revealed 900 log-books of EEIC ships containing daily instrumental measurements of temperature and pressure, and subjective estimates of wind speed and direction, from voyages across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans between 1789 and 1834. Those records have been extracted and digitised, providing 273 000 new weather records offering an unprecedentedly detailed view of the weather and climate of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

    The new thermometer observations demonstrate that the large-scale temperature response to the Tambora eruption and the 1809 eruption was modest (perhaps 0.5 °C. This provides an out-of-sample validation for the proxy reconstructions – supporting their use for longer-term climate reconstructions. However, some of the climate model simulations in the CMIP5 ensemble show much larger volcanic effects than this – such simulations are unlikely to be accurate in this respect.

  14. Anatomic Double-bundle ACL Reconstruction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schreiber, Verena M.; van Eck, Carola F.; Fu, Freddie H.

    2010-01-01

    Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most frequent forms of knee trauma. The traditional surgical treatment for ACL rupture is single-bundle reconstruction. However, during the past few years there has been a shift in interest toward double-bundle reconstruction to closely

  15. Cerebral cortices of East african early hominids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falk, D

    1983-09-09

    An endocast of the frontal lobe of a reconstructed skull, which is approximately 2 million years old, from the Koobi Fora region of Kenya appears to represent the oldest human-like cortical sulcal pattern in the fossil record, while the endocast from another skull from the same region produces an endocast that appears apelike in its frontal lobe and similar to endocasts from earlier South African australopithecines. New analysis of paleoanatomical evidence thus indicates that at least two taxa of early hominids coexisted in East Africa.

  16. A Canine Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Model for Study of Synthetic Augmentation of Tendon Allografts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, James L; Smith, Pat; Stannard, James P; Pfeiffer, Ferris; Kuroki, Keiichi; Bozynski, Chantelle C; Cook, Cristi

    2017-09-01

    Novel graft types, fixation methods, and means for augmenting anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions require preclinical validation prior to safe and effective clinical application. The objective of this study was to describe and validate a translational canine model for all-inside arthroscopic complete ACL reconstruction using a quadriceps tendon allograft with internal brace (QTIB). With institutional approval, adult research hounds underwent complete transection of the native ACL followed by all-inside ACL reconstruction using the novel QTIB construct with suspensory fixation ( n  = 10). Contralateral knees were used as nonoperated controls ( n  = 10). Dogs were assessed over a 6-month period using functional, diagnostic imaging, gross, biomechanical, and histologic outcome measures required for preclinical animal models. Study results suggest that the novel QTIB construct used for complete ACL reconstruction can provide sustained knee stability and function without the development of premature osteoarthritis in a rigorous and valid preclinical model. The unique configuration of the QTIB construct-the combination of a tendon allograft with a synthetic suture tape internal brace-allowed for an effective biologic-synthetic load-sharing ACL construct. It prevented early failure, allowed for direct, four-zone graft-to-bone healing, and functional graft remodeling while avoiding problems noted with use of all-synthetic grafts. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  17. Rational reconstructions of modern physics

    CERN Document Server

    Mittelstaedt, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Newton’s classical physics and its underlying ontology are loaded with several metaphysical hypotheses that cannot be justified by rational reasoning nor by experimental evidence. Furthermore, it is well known that some of these hypotheses are not contained in the great theories of Modern Physics, such as the theory of Special Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. This book shows that, on the basis of Newton’s classical physics and by rational reconstruction, the theory of Special Relativity as well as Quantum Mechanics can be obtained by partly eliminating or attenuating the metaphysical hypotheses. Moreover, it is shown that these reconstructions do not require additional hypotheses or new experimental results. In the second edition the rational reconstructions are completed with respect to General Relativity and Cosmology. In addition, the statistics of quantum objects is elaborated in more detail with respect to the rational reconstruction of quantum mechanics. The new material completes the approach of t...

  18. Simulation and track reconstruction for beam telescopes

    CERN Document Server

    Maqbool, Salman

    2017-01-01

    Beam telescopes are used for testing new detectors under development. Sensors are placed and a particle beam is passed through them. To test these novel detectors and determine their properties, the particle tracks need to be reconstructed from the known detectors in the telescope. Based on the reconstructed track, it’s predicted hits on the Device under Test (DUT) are compared with the actual hits on the DUT. Several methods exist for track reconstruction, but most of them don’t account for the effects of multiple scattering. General Broken Lines is one such algorithm which incorporates these effects during reconstruction. The aim of this project was to simulate the beam telescope and extend the track reconstruction framework for the FE-I4 telescope, which takes these effects into account. Section 1 introduces the problem, while section 2 focuses on beam telescopes. This is followed by the Allpix2 simulation framework in Section 3. And finally, Section 4 introduces the Proteus track reconstruction framew...

  19. Evaluation of proxy-based millennial reconstruction methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Terry C.K.; Tsao, Min [University of Victoria, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria, BC (Canada); Zwiers, Francis W. [Environment Canada, Climate Research Division, Toronto, ON (Canada)

    2008-08-15

    A range of existing statistical approaches for reconstructing historical temperature variations from proxy data are compared using both climate model data and real-world paleoclimate proxy data. We also propose a new method for reconstruction that is based on a state-space time series model and Kalman filter algorithm. The state-space modelling approach and the recently developed RegEM method generally perform better than their competitors when reconstructing interannual variations in Northern Hemispheric mean surface air temperature. On the other hand, a variety of methods are seen to perform well when reconstructing surface air temperature variability on decadal time scales. An advantage of the new method is that it can incorporate additional, non-temperature, information into the reconstruction, such as the estimated response to external forcing, thereby permitting a simultaneous reconstruction and detection analysis as well as future projection. An application of these extensions is also demonstrated in the paper. (orig.)

  20. Quadriceps Tendon Autograft Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fink, Christian; Steensen, Robert; Gföller, Peter; Lawton, Robert

    2018-06-01

    Critically evaluate the published literature related to quadriceps tendon (QT) medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction. Hamstring tendon (HT) MPFL reconstruction techniques have been shown to successfully restore patella stability, but complications including patella fracture are reported. Quadriceps tendon (QT) reconstruction techniques with an intact graft pedicle on the patella side have the advantage that patella bone tunnel drilling and fixation are no longer needed, reducing risk of patella fracture. Several QT MPFL reconstruction techniques, including minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approaches, have been published with promising clinical results and fewer complications than with HT techniques. Parallel laboratory studies have shown macroscopic anatomy and biomechanical properties of QT are more similar to native MPFL than hamstring (HS) HT, suggesting QT may more accurately restore native joint kinematics. Quadriceps tendon MPFL reconstruction, via both open and MIS techniques, have promising clinical results and offer valuable alternatives to HS grafts for primary and revision MPFL reconstruction in both children and adults.

  1. Simulation and Track Reconstruction for Beam Telescopes

    CERN Document Server

    Maqbool, Salman

    2017-01-01

    Beam telescopes are an important tool to test new detectors under development in a particle beam. To test these novel detectors and determine their properties, the particle tracks need to be reconstructed from the known detectors in the telescope. Based on the reconstructed track, its predicted position on the Device under Test (DUT) are compared with the actual hits on the DUT. Several methods exist for track reconstruction, but most of them do not account for the effects of multiple scattering. General Broken Lines is one such algorithm which incorporates these effects during reconstruction. The aim of this project was to simulate the beam telescope and extend the track reconstruction framework for the FE-I4 telescope, which takes these effects into account. Section 1 introduces the problem, while section 2 focuses on beam telescopes. This is followed by the Allpix2 simulation framework in Section 3. And finally, Section 4 introduces the Proteus track reconstruction framework along with the General Broken ...

  2. Method for position emission mammography image reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Mark Frederick

    2004-10-12

    An image reconstruction method comprising accepting coincidence datat from either a data file or in real time from a pair of detector heads, culling event data that is outside a desired energy range, optionally saving the desired data for each detector position or for each pair of detector pixels on the two detector heads, and then reconstructing the image either by backprojection image reconstruction or by iterative image reconstruction. In the backprojection image reconstruction mode, rays are traced between centers of lines of response (LOR's), counts are then either allocated by nearest pixel interpolation or allocated by an overlap method and then corrected for geometric effects and attenuation and the data file updated. If the iterative image reconstruction option is selected, one implementation is to compute a grid Siddon retracing, and to perform maximum likelihood expectation maiximization (MLEM) computed by either: a) tracing parallel rays between subpixels on opposite detector heads; or b) tracing rays between randomized endpoint locations on opposite detector heads.

  3. Sunshine duration reconstruction in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau based on tree-ring width and its relationship to volcanic eruptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Changfeng; Liu, Yu; Song, Huiming; Cai, Qiufang; Li, Qiang; Wang, Lu; Mei, Ruochen; Fang, Congxi

    2018-07-01

    Sunshine is as essential as temperature and precipitation for tree growth, but sunshine duration reconstructions based on tree rings have not yet been conducted in China. In this study, we presented a 497-year sunshine duration reconstruction for the southeastern Tibetan Plateau using a width chronology of Abies forrestii from the central Hengduan Mountains. The reconstruction accounted for 53.5% of the variance in the observed sunshine during the period of 1961-2013 based on a stable and reliable linear regression. This reconstructed sunshine duration contained six sunny periods (1630-1656, 1665-1697, 1731-1781, 1793-1836, 1862-1895 and 1910-1992) and seven cloudy periods (1522-1629, 1657-1664, 1698-1730, 1782-1792, 1837-1861, 1896-1909 and 1993-2008) at a low-frequency scale. There was an increasing trend from the 16th century to the late 18th and early 19th centuries and a decreasing trend from the mid-19th to the early 21st centuries. Sunshine displayed inverse patterns to the local Palmer drought severity index on a multidecadal scale, indicating that this region likely experienced droughts under more sunshine conditions. The decrease in sunshine particularly in recent decades was mainly due to increasing atmospheric anthropogenic aerosols. In terms of the interannual variations in sunshine, weak sunshine years matched well with years of major volcanic eruptions. The significant cycles of the 2- to 7-year, 20.0-year and 35.2-year durations as well as the 60.2-year and 78.7-year durations related to the El-Niño Southern Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation suggested that the variation in sunshine duration in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau was possibly affected by large-scale ocean-atmosphere circulations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Sparse Reconstruction for Temperature Distribution Using DTS Fiber Optic Sensors with Applications in Electrical Generator Stator Monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazzo, João Paulo; Pipa, Daniel Rodrigues; da Silva, Erlon Vagner; Martelli, Cicero; Cardozo da Silva, Jean Carlos

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents an image reconstruction method to monitor the temperature distribution of electric generator stators. The main objective is to identify insulation failures that may arise as hotspots in the structure. The method is based on temperature readings of fiber optic distributed sensors (DTS) and a sparse reconstruction algorithm. Thermal images of the structure are formed by appropriately combining atoms of a dictionary of hotspots, which was constructed by finite element simulation with a multi-physical model. Due to difficulties for reproducing insulation faults in real stator structure, experimental tests were performed using a prototype similar to the real structure. The results demonstrate the ability of the proposed method to reconstruct images of hotspots with dimensions down to 15 cm, representing a resolution gain of up to six times when compared to the DTS spatial resolution. In addition, satisfactory results were also obtained to detect hotspots with only 5 cm. The application of the proposed algorithm for thermal imaging of generator stators can contribute to the identification of insulation faults in early stages, thereby avoiding catastrophic damage to the structure. PMID:27618040

  5. Retrieving chronological age from dental remains of early fossil hominins to reconstruct human growth in the past

    OpenAIRE

    Dean, M. Christopher

    2010-01-01

    A chronology of dental development in Pan troglodytes is arguably the best available model with which to compare and contrast reconstructed dental chronologies of the earliest fossil hominins. Establishing a time scale for growth is a requirement for being able to make further comparative observations about timing and rate during both dento-skeletal growth and brain growth. The absolute timing of anterior tooth crown and root formation appears not to reflect the period of somatic growth. In c...

  6. SCNS: a graphical tool for reconstructing executable regulatory networks from single-cell genomic data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodhouse, Steven; Piterman, Nir; Wintersteiger, Christoph M; Göttgens, Berthold; Fisher, Jasmin

    2018-05-25

    Reconstruction of executable mechanistic models from single-cell gene expression data represents a powerful approach to understanding developmental and disease processes. New ambitious efforts like the Human Cell Atlas will soon lead to an explosion of data with potential for uncovering and understanding the regulatory networks which underlie the behaviour of all human cells. In order to take advantage of this data, however, there is a need for general-purpose, user-friendly and efficient computational tools that can be readily used by biologists who do not have specialist computer science knowledge. The Single Cell Network Synthesis toolkit (SCNS) is a general-purpose computational tool for the reconstruction and analysis of executable models from single-cell gene expression data. Through a graphical user interface, SCNS takes single-cell qPCR or RNA-sequencing data taken across a time course, and searches for logical rules that drive transitions from early cell states towards late cell states. Because the resulting reconstructed models are executable, they can be used to make predictions about the effect of specific gene perturbations on the generation of specific lineages. SCNS should be of broad interest to the growing number of researchers working in single-cell genomics and will help further facilitate the generation of valuable mechanistic insights into developmental, homeostatic and disease processes.

  7. Stabilization and reconstruction operations: the role of the US Army Veterinary Corps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, John C

    2007-01-01

    Stabilization and reconstruction operations in failed or failing states are vital to US security interests. These operations require a bottom-up approach, focusing on the population as the strategic center of gravity. This bottom-up approach must address the population's basic needs, as defined by Dr Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and provide a long-term means of self-sufficiency, rather than creating an "aid dependent economy." Focusing operations on agricultural projects provides relief from donor dependency, stimulates economic growth, and thwarts the power of spoilers. US Army Veterinary Corps personnel provide essential services ensuring the procurement of safe and wholesome subsistence and provision of medical care to government-owned animals. Veterinary Corps officers are also uniquely qualified to design and implement agricultural stabilization and reconstruction programs in conjunction with host-state ministries and agencies across the full range of military operations. Early, sustained engagement by veterinarians stimulates agricultural productivity, improves animal and human health, directly supports the population's hierarchy of needs on all levels, and accelerates stabilization operations by reducing the population's susceptibility to spoilers.

  8. Reconstructive valve surgery within 10 days of stroke in endocarditis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raman, Jai; Ballal, Apoorva; Hota, Bala; Mirza, Sara; Lai, David; Bleck, Thomas; Lateef, Omar

    2016-07-01

    The optimal timing of surgical treatment for infective endocarditis complicated by cerebrovascular events is controversial, largely due to the perceived risk of perioperative intracranial bleeding. Current guidelines suggest waiting 2 weeks between the diagnosis of stroke and surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and neurological outcomes of early surgery following a stroke. This was a single-center retrospective analysis of 12 consecutive patients requiring surgery for infective endocarditis between 2011 and 2014 at Rush University Medical Center, with either ischemic (n = 6) and/or hemorrhagic (n = 6) cerebrovascular complications. All underwent computed tomographic angiography prior to early valve reconstructive surgery to identify potentially actionable neurological findings. Early valve surgery was performed for ongoing sepsis or persistent emboli. Neurologic risk and outcome were assessed pre- and postoperatively using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and the Glasgow Outcome Scale, respectively. All 12 patients underwent surgical treatment within 10 days of the diagnosis of stroke. Mortality in the immediate postoperative period was 8%. Eleven of the 12 patients exhibited good neurological recovery in the immediate postoperative period, with a Glasgow Outcome Scale score ≥ 3. There was no correlation between duration of cardiopulmonary bypass and neurological outcomes. Early cardiac surgery in patients with infective endocarditis and stroke maybe lifesaving with a low neurological risk. Comprehensive neurovascular imaging may help in identifying patient-related risk factors. © The Author(s) 2016.

  9. Computed tomography imaging with the Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR) algorithm: dependence of image quality on the blending level of reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barca, Patrizio; Giannelli, Marco; Fantacci, Maria Evelina; Caramella, Davide

    2018-06-01

    Computed tomography (CT) is a useful and widely employed imaging technique, which represents the largest source of population exposure to ionizing radiation in industrialized countries. Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR) is an iterative reconstruction algorithm with the potential to allow reduction of radiation exposure while preserving diagnostic information. The aim of this phantom study was to assess the performance of ASIR, in terms of a number of image quality indices, when different reconstruction blending levels are employed. CT images of the Catphan-504 phantom were reconstructed using conventional filtered back-projection (FBP) and ASIR with reconstruction blending levels of 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%. Noise, noise power spectrum (NPS), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and modulation transfer function (MTF) were estimated for different scanning parameters and contrast objects. Noise decreased and CNR increased non-linearly up to 50 and 100%, respectively, with increasing blending level of reconstruction. Also, ASIR has proven to modify the NPS curve shape. The MTF of ASIR reconstructed images depended on tube load/contrast and decreased with increasing blending level of reconstruction. In particular, for low radiation exposure and low contrast acquisitions, ASIR showed lower performance than FBP, in terms of spatial resolution for all blending levels of reconstruction. CT image quality varies substantially with the blending level of reconstruction. ASIR has the potential to reduce noise whilst maintaining diagnostic information in low radiation exposure CT imaging. Given the opposite variation of CNR and spatial resolution with the blending level of reconstruction, it is recommended to use an optimal value of this parameter for each specific clinical application.

  10. Reconstruction of ACL Ligament rupture: results of 96 operation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tahmasebi MN

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available "nBackground: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL is one of the main knee stabilizing ligaments. Because of high incidence of ACL tearing especially in young athletes its reconstruction is very important. The aim of this study was to evaluate short-term results of anterior cruciate ligament ruptures using four strand hamstring auto graft and Bone patellar tendon autograph. "nMethods: The study group included 96 patients (3 female and 93 male with ACL teared who had been referred to our center in 5 years period (2002-2007. The subject which were Accessed in this study included meniscal injury concomitant chondral injury, determine the most common cause of ACL tearing, comparision of IKDC and lysholm score in all patients before and after surgery, and limitation of rang of motion of knee post operation. "nResults: Involvement was in the right knee in 38 patients and in the left knee in 58 patients. Mean age of patients was 27.6 years (19-48. Mean surgical delay was 18 month (1-77. The most common cause of tear was playing soccer. Meniscal injury was in 78 patients. (Medial meniscus in 63 patients, lateral meniscus in 29 patients Concommitent chondral injury was in 54 patients (56.25%. 68% of patients returned to preoperative functions sport activity. There was no limitation in extension and there was 6 patients limitation in flexion about 20º. In last visit of patients IKDS in class A and B was 96. "nConclusion: It is seem that arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL is a safe and good method in treatment of Knee stability. Use of IKDC and lysholm score for comparision of patients before and after surgery is helpful. The operation should be done early after injury. Reconstruction of ACL in older patients in the abscense of DJD is effective.

  11. Irradiated strut allografts for reconstructing tumour defects: how effective?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Astrid Lobo Gajiwala; Manish Agarwal; Ajay Puri; Cynthia D Lima

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Allografts are biological options for reconstructing large bone defects. We report our experience with 87 irradiated (25 kGy of gamma radiation) strut allografts used in various defects following tumour surgery. Reconstruction in 35 full segment defects involved 22 full segment allografts used alone, 4 allograft prosthetic composites (APC) and 9 allografts combined with a vascularized fibula. Twelve partial segment defects were reconstructed with allograft struts (including 2 APC). Full segment allograft struts (mainly fibulae) were used in 40 contained post-curettage defects. The cases were studied for time to incorporation and complications. The follow-up ranged from 12 to 72 months. Of the 26 full segment defects where allograft alone or APC was used, 2 were lost to follow-up, 5 died before incorporation and 3 grafts were removed (2 infection and 1 local recurrence). Six united primarily at 2-4 years. Seven patients with non union were autografted at both junctions resulting in 6 unions. One patient had early plate breakage and refused further treatment. One allograft fractured after union after autografting. Two of 4 APC also united. In contrast, the 9 allograft-vascularized fibula combinations showed unambiguous incorporation between 5-9 months with only one junction requiring bone grafting. Of the 12 partial segment struts, barring one removed for infection, 11 have completely incorporated. Thirty one out of 40 struts placed within contained post curettage defects have incorporated (2 removed for infection and seven lost to follow-up). There were total 6 infections (7%) 4 of which occurred 1-2 years after surgery. Irradiated full segment struts alone incorporate poorly and are best used combined with a live fibula. Irradiated full and partial segment allografts used inside contained defects give consistently good results. Frozen grafts seem to incorporate faster and better than lyophilised grafts. (Author)

  12. Reconstruction of convex bodies from surface tensors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kousholt, Astrid; Kiderlen, Markus

    We present two algorithms for reconstruction of the shape of convex bodies in the two-dimensional Euclidean space. The first reconstruction algorithm requires knowledge of the exact surface tensors of a convex body up to rank s for some natural number s. The second algorithm uses harmonic intrinsic...... volumes which are certain values of the surface tensors and allows for noisy measurements. From a generalized version of Wirtinger's inequality, we derive stability results that are utilized to ensure consistency of both reconstruction procedures. Consistency of the reconstruction procedure based...

  13. Changes in Ocean Circulation with an Ice-Free Arctic: Reconstructing Early Holocene Arctic Ocean Circulation Using Geochemical Signals from Individual Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral) Shells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livsey, C.; Spero, H. J.; Kozdon, R.

    2016-12-01

    The impacts of sea ice decrease and consequent hydrologic changes in the Arctic Ocean will be experienced globally as ocean and atmospheric temperatures continue to rise, though it is not evident to what extent. Understanding the structure of the Arctic water column during the early/mid Holocene sea ice minimum ( 6-10 kya), a post-glacial analogue of a seasonally ice-free Arctic, will help us to predict what the changes we can expect as the Earth warms over the next century. Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral; Nps) is a species of planktonic foraminifera that dominates assemblages in the polar oceans. This species grows its chambers (ontogenetic calcite) in the surface waters and subsequently descends through the water column to below the mixed layer where it quickly adds a thick crust of calcite (Kohfeld et al., 1996). Therefore, geochemical signals from both the surface waters and sub-mixed layer depths are captured within single Nps shells. We were able to target ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), therefore capturing signals from both the ontogenetic and crust calcite in single Nps shells. This data was combined with laser ablation- inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) Mg/Ca profiles of trace metals through the two layers of calcite of the same shells, to determine the thermal structure of the water column. Combining δ18O, temperature, and salinity gradients from locations across the Arctic basin allow us to reconstruct the hydrography of the early Holocene Arctic sea ice minimum. These results will be compared with modern Arctic water column characteristics in order to develop a conceptual model of Arctic Ocean oceanographic change due to global warming. Kohfeld, K.E., Fairbanks, R.G., Smith, S.L., Walsh, I.D., 1996. Neogloboquadrina pachyderma(sinistral coiling) as paleoceanographic tracers in polar oceans: Evidence from northeast water polynya plankton tows, sediment traps, and surface sediments. Paleoceanography 11, 679-699.

  14. Human migration patterns in Yemen and implications for reconstructing prehistoric population movements.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aida T Miró-Herrans

    Full Text Available Population migration has played an important role in human evolutionary history and in the patterning of human genetic variation. A deeper and empirically-based understanding of human migration dynamics is needed in order to interpret genetic and archaeological evidence and to accurately reconstruct the prehistoric processes that comprise human evolutionary history. Current empirical estimates of migration include either short time frames (i.e. within one generation or partial knowledge about migration, such as proportion of migrants or distance of migration. An analysis of migration that includes both proportion of migrants and distance, and direction over multiple generations would better inform prehistoric reconstructions. To evaluate human migration, we use GPS coordinates from the place of residence of the Yemeni individuals sampled in our study, their birthplaces and their parents' and grandparents' birthplaces to calculate the proportion of migrants, as well as the distance and direction of migration events between each generation. We test for differences in these values between the generations and identify factors that influence the probability of migration. Our results show that the proportion and distance of migration between females and males is similar within generations. In contrast, the proportion and distance of migration is significantly lower in the grandparents' generation, most likely reflecting the decreasing effect of technology. Based on our results, we calculate the proportion of migration events (0.102 and mean and median distances of migration (96 km and 26 km for the grandparent's generation to represent early times in human evolution. These estimates can serve to set parameter values of demographic models in model-based methods of prehistoric reconstruction, such as approximate Bayesian computation. Our study provides the first empirically-based estimates of human migration over multiple generations in a developing

  15. EIT image reconstruction with four dimensional regularization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Tao; Soleimani, Manuchehr; Adler, Andy

    2008-09-01

    Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) reconstructs internal impedance images of the body from electrical measurements on body surface. The temporal resolution of EIT data can be very high, although the spatial resolution of the images is relatively low. Most EIT reconstruction algorithms calculate images from data frames independently, although data are actually highly correlated especially in high speed EIT systems. This paper proposes a 4-D EIT image reconstruction for functional EIT. The new approach is developed to directly use prior models of the temporal correlations among images and 3-D spatial correlations among image elements. A fast algorithm is also developed to reconstruct the regularized images. Image reconstruction is posed in terms of an augmented image and measurement vector which are concatenated from a specific number of previous and future frames. The reconstruction is then based on an augmented regularization matrix which reflects the a priori constraints on temporal and 3-D spatial correlations of image elements. A temporal factor reflecting the relative strength of the image correlation is objectively calculated from measurement data. Results show that image reconstruction models which account for inter-element correlations, in both space and time, show improved resolution and noise performance, in comparison to simpler image models.

  16. Segeberg 1600 - Reconstructing a Historic Town for Virtual Reality Visualisation as AN Immersive Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deggim, S.; Kersten, T. P.; Tschirschwitz, F.; Hinrichsen, N.

    2017-11-01

    The 3D reconstruction of historic buildings and cities offers an opportunity to experience the history of relevant objects and their development over the centuries. Digital visualisations of such historic objects allow for a more natural view of history as well as showing information that is not possible in a real world setting. New presentation forms, such as the virtual reality (VR) system HTC Vive, can be used to disseminate information in another dimension and simplify the access by changing the user's viewpoint from a listener and viewer into being an integrated part of an interactive situation. In general, this approach is a combination of education and entertainment, also known as "edutainment" or "gamification", a term used in the education sector as describing where motivation to learn is encouraged through adding a competitive element. It is thus a step away from simple consumption of information towards experiencing information and a more literal interpretation of "living history". In this contribution, we present the development of a 3D reconstruction of the two towns Segeberg and Gieschenhagen (today: Bad Segeberg) in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in the Early Modern Age around 1600. The historic landscape and its conversion from a reconstructed virtual town model into an interactive VR application is also described. The reconstruction is based on a recent digital terrain model as well as survey data of surviving buildings, historic visual information based on historic drawings and written accounts from that era. All datasets are combined to a single walkable virtual world that spans approximately 3 km2.

  17. Fully 3D GPU PET reconstruction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herraiz, J.L., E-mail: joaquin@nuclear.fis.ucm.es [Grupo de Fisica Nuclear, Departmento Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain); Espana, S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Cal-Gonzalez, J. [Grupo de Fisica Nuclear, Departmento Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain); Vaquero, J.J. [Departmento de Bioingenieria e Ingenieria Espacial, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid (Spain); Desco, M. [Departmento de Bioingenieria e Ingenieria Espacial, Universidad Carlos III, Madrid (Spain); Unidad de Medicina y Cirugia Experimental, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon, Madrid (Spain); Udias, J.M. [Grupo de Fisica Nuclear, Departmento Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)

    2011-08-21

    Fully 3D iterative tomographic image reconstruction is computationally very demanding. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) has been proposed for many years as potential accelerators in complex scientific problems, but it has not been used until the recent advances in the programmability of GPUs that the best available reconstruction codes have started to be implemented to be run on GPUs. This work presents a GPU-based fully 3D PET iterative reconstruction software. This new code may reconstruct sinogram data from several commercially available PET scanners. The most important and time-consuming parts of the code, the forward and backward projection operations, are based on an accurate model of the scanner obtained with the Monte Carlo code PeneloPET and they have been massively parallelized on the GPU. For the PET scanners considered, the GPU-based code is more than 70 times faster than a similar code running on a single core of a fast CPU, obtaining in both cases the same images. The code has been designed to be easily adapted to reconstruct sinograms from any other PET scanner, including scanner prototypes.

  18. Fully 3D GPU PET reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herraiz, J.L.; Espana, S.; Cal-Gonzalez, J.; Vaquero, J.J.; Desco, M.; Udias, J.M.

    2011-01-01

    Fully 3D iterative tomographic image reconstruction is computationally very demanding. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) has been proposed for many years as potential accelerators in complex scientific problems, but it has not been used until the recent advances in the programmability of GPUs that the best available reconstruction codes have started to be implemented to be run on GPUs. This work presents a GPU-based fully 3D PET iterative reconstruction software. This new code may reconstruct sinogram data from several commercially available PET scanners. The most important and time-consuming parts of the code, the forward and backward projection operations, are based on an accurate model of the scanner obtained with the Monte Carlo code PeneloPET and they have been massively parallelized on the GPU. For the PET scanners considered, the GPU-based code is more than 70 times faster than a similar code running on a single core of a fast CPU, obtaining in both cases the same images. The code has been designed to be easily adapted to reconstruct sinograms from any other PET scanner, including scanner prototypes.

  19. Org.Lcsim: Event Reconstruction in Java

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graf, Norman

    2011-01-01

    Maximizing the physics performance of detectors being designed for the International Linear Collider, while remaining sensitive to cost constraints, requires a powerful, efficient, and flexible simulation, reconstruction and analysis environment to study the capabilities of a large number of different detector designs. The preparation of Letters Of Intent for the International Linear Collider involved the detailed study of dozens of detector options, layouts and readout technologies; the final physics benchmarking studies required the reconstruction and analysis of hundreds of millions of events. We describe the Java-based software toolkit (org.lcsim) which was used for full event reconstruction and analysis. The components are fully modular and are available for tasks from digitization of tracking detector signals through to cluster finding, pattern recognition, track-fitting, calorimeter clustering, individual particle reconstruction, jet-finding, and analysis. The detector is defined by the same xml input files used for the detector response simulation, ensuring the simulation and reconstruction geometries are always commensurate by construction. We discuss the architecture as well as the performance.

  20. Reconstruction of the midface and maxilla.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalgorf, Dustin; Higgins, Kevin

    2008-08-01

    To review the current classification systems and reconstructive options available for restoration of maxillectomy defects. Defects involving the midface can have a great functional and aesthetic impact on the patient. Adequate restoration of the complex three-dimensional maxillary structure is required to replace form and function of the native tissue. An in-depth discussion of appropriate recipient vessel selection and reconstructive options are included in this article. The superficial temporal vessel system is presented as a reliable anastomosis site for restoration of midfacial defects. In addition, the complications of vein grafting, arteriovenous fistula loops and alternative recipient vessels sites are addressed to manage the challenge of the vessel-depleted neck. The current indications, advantages and disadvantages of local, regional and free-flap reconstructive options available for maxillectomy defects are highlighted in order to aid the surgeon in appropriate flap selection. A myriad of reconstructive options are available to restore maxillectomy defects. The surgeon must consider each defect and the needs of the individual patient when choosing the best suited reconstructive technique.

  1. Sinonasal mucosal melanoma extended to nose bridge: A one-time reconstruction treatment report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Romano

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Sinonasal mucosal melanoma is a rare and highly aggressive tumour. This tumour often carries a poor prognosis because of local invasion and early distant metastasis. It's, in fact, an aggressive, fortunately rare, disease. It's more common among population in their seventies, with a prolonged course due to innocuous symptoms. We report a case of sinonasal mucosal melanoma in a 56-years old male who presented with a brownish sinonasal mass involving right nasal fossa, swelling and spontaneous epistaxis. We report this case for the one-time reconstruction treatment performed by our team.

  2. A 60 yr record of atmospheric carbon monoxide reconstructed from Greenland firn air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrenko, V. V.; Martinerie, P.; Novelli, P.; Etheridge, D. M.; Levin, I.; Wang, Z.; Blunier, T.; Chappellaz, J.; Kaiser, J.; Lang, P.; Steele, L. P.; Hammer, S.; Mak, J.; Langenfelds, R. L.; Schwander, J.; Severinghaus, J. P.; Witrant, E.; Petron, G.; Battle, M. O.; Forster, G.; Sturges, W. T.; Lamarque, J.-F.; Steffen, K.; White, J. W. C.

    2013-08-01

    We present the first reconstruction of the Northern Hemisphere (NH) high latitude atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO) mole fraction from Greenland firn air. Firn air samples were collected at three deep ice core sites in Greenland (NGRIP in 2001, Summit in 2006 and NEEM in 2008). CO records from the three sites agree well with each other as well as with recent atmospheric measurements, indicating that CO is well preserved in the firn at these sites. CO atmospheric history was reconstructed back to the year 1950 from the measurements using a combination of two forward models of gas transport in firn and an inverse model. The reconstructed history suggests that Arctic CO in 1950 was 140-150 nmol mol-1, which is higher than today's values. CO mole fractions rose by 10-15 nmol mol-1 from 1950 to the 1970s and peaked in the 1970s or early 1980s, followed by a ≈ 30 nmol mol-1 decline to today's levels. We compare the CO history with the atmospheric histories of methane, light hydrocarbons, molecular hydrogen, CO stable isotopes and hydroxyl radicals (OH), as well as with published CO emission inventories and results of a historical run from a chemistry-transport model. We find that the reconstructed Greenland CO history cannot be reconciled with available emission inventories unless unrealistically large changes in OH are assumed. We argue that the available CO emission inventories strongly underestimate historical NH emissions, and fail to capture the emission decline starting in the late 1970s, which was most likely due to reduced emissions from road transportation in North America and Europe.

  3. A 60 yr record of atmospheric carbon monoxide reconstructed from Greenland firn air

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Petrenko

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available We present the first reconstruction of the Northern Hemisphere (NH high latitude atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO mole fraction from Greenland firn air. Firn air samples were collected at three deep ice core sites in Greenland (NGRIP in 2001, Summit in 2006 and NEEM in 2008. CO records from the three sites agree well with each other as well as with recent atmospheric measurements, indicating that CO is well preserved in the firn at these sites. CO atmospheric history was reconstructed back to the year 1950 from the measurements using a combination of two forward models of gas transport in firn and an inverse model. The reconstructed history suggests that Arctic CO in 1950 was 140–150 nmol mol−1, which is higher than today's values. CO mole fractions rose by 10–15 nmol mol−1 from 1950 to the 1970s and peaked in the 1970s or early 1980s, followed by a ≈ 30 nmol mol−1 decline to today's levels. We compare the CO history with the atmospheric histories of methane, light hydrocarbons, molecular hydrogen, CO stable isotopes and hydroxyl radicals (OH, as well as with published CO emission inventories and results of a historical run from a chemistry-transport model. We find that the reconstructed Greenland CO history cannot be reconciled with available emission inventories unless unrealistically large changes in OH are assumed. We argue that the available CO emission inventories strongly underestimate historical NH emissions, and fail to capture the emission decline starting in the late 1970s, which was most likely due to reduced emissions from road transportation in North America and Europe.

  4. Quality of life before reconstructive breast surgery: A preoperative comparison of patients with immediate, delayed, and major revision reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosson, Gedge D; Shridharani, Sachin M; Magarakis, Michael; Manahan, Michele A; Basdag, Basak; Gilson, Marta M; Pusic, Andrea L

    2013-05-01

    Women undergo breast reconstruction at different time-points in their cancer care; knowing patients' preoperative quality of life (QoL) is critical in the overall care of the patient with breast cancer. Our objective was to describe presurgical QoL among women undergoing immediate, delayed, or major revision breast reconstructive surgery at our institution. From March 2008 to February 2009, we administered preoperative BREAST-Q questionnaires to women who presented to our institution for breast reconstruction. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare patient cohorts across multiple QoL domains including body image, physical well-being, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being. Of the 231 patients who presented for preoperative consultation, 176 returned the questionnaire (response rate 76%; 117 from the immediate, 21 from the delayed, and 32 from the major revision reconstruction groups, plus 6 mixed or unknown). The three groups differed significantly (P < 0.05) across four of the six domains: body image (satisfaction with breasts), psychosocial well-being, sexual well-being, and physical well-being of the chest and upper body. The immediate reconstruction group had higher (better) scores than the delayed reconstruction group, which had higher (better) scores than the major revision group. These data suggest that women presenting for breast reconstruction at different stages of reconstruction have different baseline QoL. Such data may help us better understand patient selection, education, and expectations, and may lead to improved patient-surgeon communication. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Reconstruction of convex bodies from surface tensors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kousholt, Astrid; Kiderlen, Markus

    2016-01-01

    We present two algorithms for reconstruction of the shape of convex bodies in the two-dimensional Euclidean space. The first reconstruction algorithm requires knowledge of the exact surface tensors of a convex body up to rank s for some natural number s. When only measurements subject to noise...... of surface tensors are available for reconstruction, we recommend to use certain values of the surface tensors, namely harmonic intrinsic volumes instead of the surface tensors evaluated at the standard basis. The second algorithm we present is based on harmonic intrinsic volumes and allows for noisy...... measurements. From a generalized version of Wirtinger's inequality, we derive stability results that are utilized to ensure consistency of both reconstruction procedures. Consistency of the reconstruction procedure based on measurements subject to noise is established under certain assumptions on the noise...

  6. Accuracy of secondary maxillofacial reconstruction with prefabricated fibula grafts using 3D planning and guided reconstruction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schepers, Rutger H.; Kraeima, Joep; Vissink, Arjan; Lahoda, Lars U.; Roodenburg, Jan L. N.; Reintsema, Harry; Raghoebar, Gerry M.; Witjes, Max J.

    Background: We compared the pre-operative 3D-surgical plan with the surgical outcome of complex two-stage secondary reconstruction of maxillofacial defects using inserted implants in the prefabricated fibula graft. Methods: Eleven reconstructions of maxillofacial defects with prefabricated fibulas

  7. Orbital floor reconstruction with free flaps after maxillectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampathirao, Leela Mohan C S R; Thankappan, Krishnakumar; Duraisamy, Sriprakash; Hedne, Naveen; Sharma, Mohit; Mathew, Jimmy; Iyer, Subramania

    2013-06-01

    Background The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of orbital floor reconstruction with free flaps after maxillectomy. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 34 consecutive patients who underwent maxillectomy with orbital floor removal for malignancies, reconstructed with free flaps. A cross-sectional survey to assess the functional and esthetic outcome was done in 28 patients who were alive and disease-free, with a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. Results Twenty-six patients had bony reconstruction, and eight had soft tissue reconstruction. Free fibula flap was the commonest flap used (n = 14). Visual acuity was normal in 86%. Eye movements were normal in 92%. Abnormal globe position resulted in nine patients. Esthetic satisfaction was good in 19 patients (68%). Though there was no statistically significant difference in outcome of visual acuity, eye movement, and patient esthetic satisfaction between patients with bony and soft tissue reconstruction, more patients without bony reconstruction had abnormal globe position (p = 0.040). Conclusion Free tissue transfer has improved the results of orbital floor reconstruction after total maxillectomy, preserving the eye. Good functional and esthetic outcome was achieved. Though our study favors a bony orbital reconstruction, a larger study with adequate power and equal distribution of patients among the groups would be needed to determine this. Free fibula flap remains the commonest choice when a bony reconstruction is contemplated.

  8. Multi-century variability in the Pacific North American circulation pattern reconstructed from tree rings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trouet, Valerie; Taylor, Alan H.

    2010-11-01

    We here present a reconstruction (1725-1999) of the winter Pacific North American (PNA) pattern based on three winter climate sensitive tree ring records from the western USA. Positive PNA phases in our record are associated with warm phases of ENSO and PDO and the reorganization of the PNA pattern towards a positive mode is strongest when ENSO and PDO are in phase. Regime shifts in our PNA record correspond to climatic shifts in other proxies of Pacific climate variability, including two well-documented shifts in the instrumental period (1976 and 1923). The correspondence breaks down in the early 19th century, when our record shows a prolonged period of positive PNA, with a peak in 1800-1820. This period corresponds to a period of low solar activity (Dalton Minimum), suggesting a `positive PNA like' response to decreased solar irradiance. The distinct 30-year periodicity that dominates the PNA reconstruction in the 18th century and again from 1875 onwards is disrupted during this period.

  9. Simultaneous maximum a posteriori longitudinal PET image reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, Sam; Reader, Andrew J.

    2017-09-01

    Positron emission tomography (PET) is frequently used to monitor functional changes that occur over extended time scales, for example in longitudinal oncology PET protocols that include routine clinical follow-up scans to assess the efficacy of a course of treatment. In these contexts PET datasets are currently reconstructed into images using single-dataset reconstruction methods. Inspired by recently proposed joint PET-MR reconstruction methods, we propose to reconstruct longitudinal datasets simultaneously by using a joint penalty term in order to exploit the high degree of similarity between longitudinal images. We achieved this by penalising voxel-wise differences between pairs of longitudinal PET images in a one-step-late maximum a posteriori (MAP) fashion, resulting in the MAP simultaneous longitudinal reconstruction (SLR) method. The proposed method reduced reconstruction errors and visually improved images relative to standard maximum likelihood expectation-maximisation (ML-EM) in simulated 2D longitudinal brain tumour scans. In reconstructions of split real 3D data with inserted simulated tumours, noise across images reconstructed with MAP-SLR was reduced to levels equivalent to doubling the number of detected counts when using ML-EM. Furthermore, quantification of tumour activities was largely preserved over a variety of longitudinal tumour changes, including changes in size and activity, with larger changes inducing larger biases relative to standard ML-EM reconstructions. Similar improvements were observed for a range of counts levels, demonstrating the robustness of the method when used with a single penalty strength. The results suggest that longitudinal regularisation is a simple but effective method of improving reconstructed PET images without using resolution degrading priors.

  10. The PRISM3D paleoenvironmental reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowsett, H.; Robinson, M.; Haywood, A.M.; Salzmann, U.; Hill, Daniel; Sohl, L.E.; Chandler, M.; Williams, Mark; Foley, K.; Stoll, D.K.

    2010-01-01

    The Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping (PRISM) paleoenvironmental reconstruction is an internally consistent and comprehensive global synthesis of a past interval of relatively warm and stable climate. It is regularly used in model studies that aim to better understand Pliocene climate, to improve model performance in future climate scenarios, and to distinguish model-dependent climate effects. The PRISM reconstruction is constantly evolving in order to incorporate additional geographic sites and environmental parameters, and is continuously refined by independent research findings. The new PRISM three dimensional (3D) reconstruction differs from previous PRISM reconstructions in that it includes a subsurface ocean temperature reconstruction, integrates geochemical sea surface temperature proxies to supplement the faunal-based temperature estimates, and uses numerical models for the first time to augment fossil data. Here we describe the components of PRISM3D and describe new findings specific to the new reconstruction. Highlights of the new PRISM3D reconstruction include removal of Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes and creation of open waterways in locations where the current bedrock elevation is less than 25m above modern sea level, due to the removal of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and the reduction of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The mid-Piacenzian oceans were characterized by a reduced east-west temperature gradient in the equatorial Pacific, but PRISM3D data do not imply permanent El Niño conditions. The reduced equator-to-pole temperature gradient that characterized previous PRISM reconstructions is supported by significant displacement of vegetation belts toward the poles, is extended into the Arctic Ocean, and is confirmed by multiple proxies in PRISM3D. Arctic warmth coupled with increased dryness suggests the formation of warm and salty paleo North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) and a more vigorous thermohaline circulation system that may

  11. Revision allograft reconstruction of the lateral collateral ligament complex in elbows with previous failed reconstruction and persistent posterolateral rotatory instability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghdadi, Yaser M K; Morrey, Bernard F; O'Driscoll, Shawn W; Steinmann, Scott P; Sanchez-Sotelo, Joaquin

    2014-07-01

    Primary reconstruction of the lateral collateral ligament complex (LCLC) using graft tissue restores elbow stability in many, but not all, elbows with acute or chronic posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI). Revision reconstruction using a tendon allograft is occasionally considered for persistent PLRI, but the outcome of revision ligament reconstruction in this setting is largely unknown. We determined whether revision allograft ligament reconstruction can (1) restore the stability and (2) result in improved elbow scores for patients with persistent PLRI of the elbow after a previous failed primary reconstructive attempt and in the context of the diverse pathology being addressed. Between 2001 and 2011, 160 surgical elbow procedures were performed at our institution for the LCLC reconstruction using allograft tissue. Only patients undergoing revision allograft reconstruction of the LCLC for persistent PLRI with a previous failed primary reconstructive attempt using graft tissue and at least I year of followup were included in the study. Eleven patients (11 elbows) fulfilled our inclusion criteria and formed our study cohort. The cohort consisted of six female patients and five male patients. The mean age at the time of revision surgery was 36 years (range, 14-59 years). The revision allograft reconstruction was carried out after a mean of 3 years (range, 2.5 months to 9 years) from a failed attempted reconstruction of the LCLC. Osseous deficiency to some extent was identified in the preoperative radiographs of eight elbows. Mean followup was 5 years (range, 1-12 years). Revision allograft reconstruction of the LCLC restored elbow stability in eight of the 11 elbows; two of the three elbows with persistent instability were operated on a third time (at 6 and 7 months after allograft revision reconstruction). For elbows with no persistent instability, the mean Mayo Elbow Performance Score at most recent followup was 83 points (range, 60-100 points), and

  12. Structure Assisted Compressed Sensing Reconstruction of Undersampled AFM Images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oxvig, Christian Schou; Arildsen, Thomas; Larsen, Torben

    2017-01-01

    reconstruction algorithms that enables the use of our proposed structure model in the reconstruction process. Through a large set of reconstructions, the general reconstruction capability improvement achievable using our structured model is shown both quantitatively and qualitatively. Specifically, our...

  13. Reconstruction of electric systems (ELE)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohutovic, P.

    2001-01-01

    The original design of WWER-230 units consisted of a single common system EEPS (essential electric power supply system) per unit. The establishment of redundancy 2 x 100% EEPS was a global task. The task was started during the 'Small reconstruction' - MR V1, continued in 'Gradual reconstruction' and finished in the year 2000. (author)

  14. Optimizing Aesthetic Outcomes in Delayed Breast Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wojciech Dec, MD

    2017-08-01

    Conclusions:. Optimal aesthetic results can be achieved with: (1 restoration of breast skin envelope with tissue expansion when possible, (2 optimal positioning of a small skin paddle to be later incorporated entirely into a nipple areola reconstruction when adequate breast skin surface area is present, (3 limiting the reconstructed breast mound to 2 skin tones when large area skin resurfacing is required, (4 increasing breast volume by deepithelializing, not discarding, the inferior mastectomy flap skin, (5 eccentric division of abdominal flaps when an immediate and delayed bilateral breast reconstructions are performed simultaneously; and (6 performing second-stage breast reconstruction revisions and fat grafting.

  15. Tomographic image reconstruction using Artificial Neural Networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paschalis, P.; Giokaris, N.D.; Karabarbounis, A.; Loudos, G.K.; Maintas, D.; Papanicolas, C.N.; Spanoudaki, V.; Tsoumpas, Ch.; Stiliaris, E.

    2004-01-01

    A new image reconstruction technique based on the usage of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is presented. The most crucial factor in designing such a reconstruction system is the network architecture and the number of the input projections needed to reconstruct the image. Although the training phase requires a large amount of input samples and a considerable CPU time, the trained network is characterized by simplicity and quick response. The performance of this ANN is tested using several image patterns. It is intended to be used together with a phantom rotating table and the γ-camera of IASA for SPECT image reconstruction

  16. 3D noise power spectrum applied on clinical MDCT scanners: effects of reconstruction algorithms and reconstruction filters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miéville, Frédéric A.; Bolard, Gregory; Benkreira, Mohamed; Ayestaran, Paul; Gudinchet, François; Bochud, François; Verdun, Francis R.

    2011-03-01

    The noise power spectrum (NPS) is the reference metric for understanding the noise content in computed tomography (CT) images. To evaluate the noise properties of clinical multidetector (MDCT) scanners, local 2D and 3D NPSs were computed for different acquisition reconstruction parameters. A 64- and a 128-MDCT scanners were employed. Measurements were performed on a water phantom in axial and helical acquisition modes. CT dose index was identical for both installations. Influence of parameters such as the pitch, the reconstruction filter (soft, standard and bone) and the reconstruction algorithm (filtered-back projection (FBP), adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR)) were investigated. Images were also reconstructed in the coronal plane using a reformat process. Then 2D and 3D NPS methods were computed. In axial acquisition mode, the 2D axial NPS showed an important magnitude variation as a function of the z-direction when measured at the phantom center. In helical mode, a directional dependency with lobular shape was observed while the magnitude of the NPS was kept constant. Important effects of the reconstruction filter, pitch and reconstruction algorithm were observed on 3D NPS results for both MDCTs. With ASIR, a reduction of the NPS magnitude and a shift of the NPS peak to the low frequency range were visible. 2D coronal NPS obtained from the reformat images was impacted by the interpolation when compared to 2D coronal NPS obtained from 3D measurements. The noise properties of volume measured in last generation MDCTs was studied using local 3D NPS metric. However, impact of the non-stationarity noise effect may need further investigations.

  17. ACL Reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... in moderate exercise and recreational activities, or play sports that put less stress on the knees. ACL reconstruction is generally recommended if: You're an athlete and want to continue in your sport, especially if the sport involves jumping, cutting or ...

  18. Position reconstruction in LUX

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akerib, D. S.; Alsum, S.; Araújo, H. M.; Bai, X.; Bailey, A. J.; Balajthy, J.; Beltrame, P.; Bernard, E. P.; Bernstein, A.; Biesiadzinski, T. P.; Boulton, E. M.; Brás, P.; Byram, D.; Cahn, S. B.; Carmona-Benitez, M. C.; Chan, C.; Currie, A.; Cutter, J. E.; Davison, T. J. R.; Dobi, A.; Druszkiewicz, E.; Edwards, B. N.; Fallon, S. R.; Fan, A.; Fiorucci, S.; Gaitskell, R. J.; Genovesi, J.; Ghag, C.; Gilchriese, M. G. D.; Hall, C. R.; Hanhardt, M.; Haselschwardt, S. J.; Hertel, S. A.; Hogan, D. P.; Horn, M.; Huang, D. Q.; Ignarra, C. M.; Jacobsen, R. G.; Ji, W.; Kamdin, K.; Kazkaz, K.; Khaitan, D.; Knoche, R.; Larsen, N. A.; Lenardo, B. G.; Lesko, K. T.; Lindote, A.; Lopes, M. I.; Manalaysay, A.; Mannino, R. L.; Marzioni, M. F.; McKinsey, D. N.; Mei, D.-M.; Mock, J.; Moongweluwan, M.; Morad, J. A.; Murphy, A. St. J.; Nehrkorn, C.; Nelson, H. N.; Neves, F.; O'Sullivan, K.; Oliver-Mallory, K. C.; Palladino, K. J.; Pease, E. K.; Rhyne, C.; Shaw, S.; Shutt, T. A.; Silva, C.; Solmaz, M.; Solovov, V. N.; Sorensen, P.; Sumner, T. J.; Szydagis, M.; Taylor, D. J.; Taylor, W. C.; Tennyson, B. P.; Terman, P. A.; Tiedt, D. R.; To, W. H.; Tripathi, M.; Tvrznikova, L.; Uvarov, S.; Velan, V.; Verbus, J. R.; Webb, R. C.; White, J. T.; Whitis, T. J.; Witherell, M. S.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Xu, J.; Yazdani, K.; Young, S. K.; Zhang, C.

    2018-02-01

    The (x, y) position reconstruction method used in the analysis of the complete exposure of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment is presented. The algorithm is based on a statistical test that makes use of an iterative method to recover the photomultiplier tube (PMT) light response directly from the calibration data. The light response functions make use of a two dimensional functional form to account for the photons reflected on the inner walls of the detector. To increase the resolution for small pulses, a photon counting technique was employed to describe the response of the PMTs. The reconstruction was assessed with calibration data including 83mKr (releasing a total energy of 41.5 keV) and 3H (β- with Q = 18.6 keV) decays, and a deuterium-deuterium (D-D) neutron beam (2.45 MeV) . Within the detector's fiducial volume, the reconstruction has achieved an (x, y) position uncertainty of σ = 0.82 cm and σ = 0.17 cm for events of only 200 and 4,000 detected electroluminescence photons respectively. Such signals are associated with electron recoils of energies ~0.25 keV and ~10 keV, respectively. The reconstructed position of the smallest events with a single electron emitted from the liquid surface (22 detected photons) has a horizontal (x, y) uncertainty of 2.13 cm.

  19. Early-Holocene decoupled summer temperature and monsoon precipitation in southwest China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, D.; Chen, F.; Chen, X.; Lv, F.; Zhou, A.; Chen, J.; Abbott, M. B.; Yu, J.

    2017-12-01

    Proxy based reconstructions of Holocene temperature have shown that both the timing and magnitude of the thermal maximum vary substantially between different regions; the simulations results from climate models also show that summers were substantially cooler over regions directly influenced by the presence of the Laurentide ice sheet during the early Holocene, whereas other regions of the Northern Hemisphere were dominated by orbital forcing. However, for lack of summer temperature reconstruction in the low latitude regions like southwestern China dominated by the Indian summer monsoon, the Holocene summer temperature variations and it underlying forcing mechanism are ambiguous. Here we present a well-dated record of pollen-based quantitative summer temperature (mean July; MJT) over the last 14000 years from Xingyun Lake, Yunnan Province, southwest China. It was found that MJT decreased during the YD event, then increased slowly until 7400 yr BP, and decreased thereafter. The MJT shows a pattern with middle Holocene maximum of MJT, indicating a different changing pattern with the carbonate oxygen isotope record (d18O) from the same core during the early Holocene (11500-7400 yr BP), which has the similar variation with speleothem d18O record from Dongge cave, both indicate the variation of monsoon precipitation with the highest precipitation occurred during the early Holocene. Therefore, we propose that the variation of summer temperature and precipitation in southwest China was decoupled during the early Holocene. However, both MJT and monsoon precipitation decreased after the middle Holocene following the boreal summer insolation. We suggest that the high precipitation with strong summer monsoon and hence higher cloud cover may depress the temperature increasing forced by increasing summer insolation during the early Holocene; while melting ice-sheet in the high latitude regions had strongly influenced the summer temperature increase during the deglacial period

  20. Integration of Trace Images in Three-dimensional Crime Scene Reconstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Quentin Milliet

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Forensic image analysis has greatly developed with the proliferation of photography and video recording devices. Trace images of serious incidents are increasingly captured by first responders, witnesses, bystanders, or surveillance systems. Image perception is exposed with a special emphasis on the influence of the field of view on observation. In response to the pitfalls of the mental eye, a way to systematize the integration of images as traces in three-dimensional crime scene reconstruction is proposed. The systematic approach is based on the application of photogrammetric principles to slightly modify the usual photographic documentation as well as on the early collection and review of available trace images. The integration of images as traces provides valuable contributions to contextualize what happened at a crime scene based on the information that can be obtained from images. In a wider perspective, the systematic analysis of images fosters the use and interpretation of forensic evidence to complement witness statements in the criminal justice system. This article outlines the benefits of integrating trace images into a coherent reconstruction framework in order to improve interpretation of their content. A solution is proposed to integrate perception differences between the field of view of cameras and the human eye.

  1. Vertex Reconstruction for AEGIS’ FACT Detector

    CERN Document Server

    Themistokleous, Neofytos

    2017-01-01

    My project dealt with the development of a vertex reconstruction technique to discriminate antihydrogen from background signals in the AEGIS apparatus. It involved the creation of a Toy Monte-Carlo to simulate particle annihilation events, and a vertex reconstruction utility based on the Bayesian theory of probability. The first results based on 107 generated events with single track in the detector are encouraging. For such events, the algorithm can reconstruct the z-coordinate accurately , while for the r-coordinate the result is less accurate.

  2. Dual-radionuclide simultaneous gastric emptying and bile transit study after gastric surgery with double-tract reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakajima, Kenichi; Kawano, Masaya; Kinami, Shinichi; Fujimura, Takashi; Miwa, Koichi; Tonami, Norihisa

    2005-01-01

    The physiology of gastrointestinal transfer function after proximal gastrectomy with bypass-tract reconstruction is not well understood. We applied a simultaneous dual-radionuclide method with a hepatobiliary imaging and gastric emptying study to evaluate physiologic alterations occurring after surgery. Nineteen patients with early gastric cancer, including 9 preoperative control patients and 10 who had proximal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction surgery were examined by dual-radionuclide hepatobiliary and gastric emptying studies ( 99m Tc PMT and 111 In DTPA). Retention fraction in the stomach at 3 minutes (R3) and 60 minutes (R60) and gastric emptying half-time (GET) were calculated. Bile reflux and mixture of bile and food were also evaluated. The retention fractions of R3 and R60 were significantly lower in the double-tract reconstruction group than those in the preoperative group. GET differed significantly between the double-tract and preoperative groups (20.7 min±7.1 min and 36.2 min±11.0 min, p=0.0018). The mixture of bile and food was not good in the double-tract reconstruction group (p=0.014 vs. preoperative). Patients with a large residual stomach showed slower initial emptying (p=0.0068) and a better mixture of bile and food (p=0.058) compared to those with a small residual stomach. The bile reflux was not significantly increased after surgery. The dual-radionuclide gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary imaging was feasible and could demonstrate characteristic transit patterns of the foods and bile in the double-tract reconstruction procedure. A larger residual stomach, if possible, is desirable to provide better transfer and mixing of bile and foods. (author)

  3. Advanced reconstruction algorithms for electron tomography: From comparison to combination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goris, B. [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Roelandts, T. [Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Batenburg, K.J. [Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica, Science Park 123, NL-1098XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); Heidari Mezerji, H. [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Bals, S., E-mail: sara.bals@ua.ac.be [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

    2013-04-15

    In this work, the simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT), the total variation minimization (TVM) reconstruction technique and the discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART) for electron tomography are compared and the advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Furthermore, we describe how the result of a three dimensional (3D) reconstruction based on TVM can provide objective information that is needed as the input for a DART reconstruction. This approach results in a tomographic reconstruction of which the segmentation is carried out in an objective manner. - Highlights: ► A comparative study between different reconstruction algorithms for tomography is performed. ► Reconstruction algorithms that uses prior knowledge about the specimen have a superior result. ► One reconstruction algorithm can provide the prior knowledge for a second algorithm.

  4. The reconstruction of male hair-bearing facial regions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridgway, Emily B; Pribaz, Julian J

    2011-01-01

    Loss of hair-bearing regions of the face caused by trauma, tumor resection, or burn presents a difficult reconstructive task for plastic surgeons. The ideal tissue substitute should have the same characteristics as the facial area affected, consisting of thin, pliable tissue with a similar color match and hair-bearing quality. This is a retrospective study of 34 male patients who underwent reconstruction of hair-bearing facial regions performed by the senior author (J.J.P.). Local and pedicled flaps were used primarily to reconstruct defects after tumor extirpation, trauma, infections, and burns. Two patients had irradiation before reconstruction. Two patients had prior facial reconstruction with free flaps. The authors found that certain techniques of reconstructing defects in hair-bearing facial regions were more successful than others in particular facial regions and in different sizes of defects. The authors were able to develop a simple algorithm for management of facial defects involving the hair-bearing regions of the eyebrow, sideburn, beard, and mustache that may prospectively aid the planning of reconstructive strategy in these cases.

  5. [Laparoscopic Proximal Gastrectomy as a Surgical Treatment for Upper Third Early Gastric Cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Do Joong; Park, Young Suk; Ahn, Sang Hoon; Kim, Hyung Ho

    2017-09-25

    Recently, the incidence of upper third gastric cancer has increased, and with it the number of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) procedures performed has been increasing. However, if ESD is not indicated or non-curable, surgical treatment may be necessary. In the case of lower third gastric cancer, it is possible to preserve the upper part of the stomach; however, in the case of upper third gastric cancer, total gastrectomy is still the standard treatment option, regardless of the stage. This is due to the complications associated with upper third gastric cancer, such as gastroesophageal reflux after proximal gastrectomy rather than oncologic problems. Recently, the introduction of the double tract reconstruction method after proximal gastrectomy has become one of the surgical treatment methods for upper third early gastric cancer. However, since there has not been a prospective comparative study evaluating its efficacy, the ongoing multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial (KLASS-05) comparing laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double tract reconstruction and laparoscopic total gastrectomy is expected to be important for determining the future of treatment of upper third early gastric cancer.

  6. Tensor-based dictionary learning for dynamic tomographic reconstruction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, Shengqi; Wu, Zhifang; Zhang, Yanbo; Mou, Xuanqin; Wang, Ge; Cao, Guohua; Yu, Hengyong

    2015-01-01

    In dynamic computed tomography (CT) reconstruction, the data acquisition speed limits the spatio-temporal resolution. Recently, compressed sensing theory has been instrumental in improving CT reconstruction from far few-view projections. In this paper, we present an adaptive method to train a tensor-based spatio-temporal dictionary for sparse representation of an image sequence during the reconstruction process. The correlations among atoms and across phases are considered to capture the characteristics of an object. The reconstruction problem is solved by the alternating direction method of multipliers. To recover fine or sharp structures such as edges, the nonlocal total variation is incorporated into the algorithmic framework. Preclinical examples including a sheep lung perfusion study and a dynamic mouse cardiac imaging demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the vectorized dictionary-based CT reconstruction in the case of few-view reconstruction. (paper)

  7. Tensor-based Dictionary Learning for Dynamic Tomographic Reconstruction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Shengqi; Zhang, Yanbo; Wang, Ge; Mou, Xuanqin; Cao, Guohua; Wu, Zhifang; Yu, Hengyong

    2015-01-01

    In dynamic computed tomography (CT) reconstruction, the data acquisition speed limits the spatio-temporal resolution. Recently, compressed sensing theory has been instrumental in improving CT reconstruction from far few-view projections. In this paper, we present an adaptive method to train a tensor-based spatio-temporal dictionary for sparse representation of an image sequence during the reconstruction process. The correlations among atoms and across phases are considered to capture the characteristics of an object. The reconstruction problem is solved by the alternating direction method of multipliers. To recover fine or sharp structures such as edges, the nonlocal total variation is incorporated into the algorithmic framework. Preclinical examples including a sheep lung perfusion study and a dynamic mouse cardiac imaging demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the vectorized dictionary-based CT reconstruction in the case of few-view reconstruction. PMID:25779991

  8. Shredded banknotes reconstruction using AKAZE points.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabiyev, Vasif V; Yılmaz, Seçkin; Günay, Asuman; Muzaffer, Gül; Ulutaş, Güzin

    2017-09-01

    Shredded banknote reconstruction is a recent topic and can be viewed as solving large-scale jigsaw puzzles. Also, problems such as reconstruction of fragmented documents, photographs and historical artefacts are closely related with this topic. The high computational complexity of these problems increases the need for the development of new methods Reconstruction of shredded banknotes consists of three main stages. (1) Matching fragments with a reference banknote. (2) Aligning the fragments by rotating at certain angles. (3) Assembling the fragments. The existing methods can successfully applied to synthetic banknote fragments which are created in computer environment. But when real banknote reconstruction problem is considered, different sub problems arise and make the existing methods inadequate. In this study, a keypoint based method, named AKAZE, was used to make the matching process effective. This is the first study that uses the AKAZE method in the reconstruction of shredded banknotes. A new method for fragment alignment has also been proposed. In this method, the convex hulls that contain all true matched AKAZE keypoints were found on reference banknote and fragments. The orientations of fragments were estimated accurately by comparing these convex polygons. Also, a new criterion was developed to reveal the success rates of reconstructed banknotes. In addition, two different data sets including real and synthetic banknote fragments of different countries were created to test the success of proposed method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Baryon Acoustic Oscillations reconstruction with pixels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Obuljen, Andrej [SISSA—International School for Advanced Studies, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste (Italy); Villaescusa-Navarro, Francisco [Center for Computational Astrophysics, 160 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10010 (United States); Castorina, Emanuele [Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Viel, Matteo, E-mail: aobuljen@sissa.it, E-mail: fvillaescusa@simonsfoundation.org, E-mail: ecastorina@berkeley.edu, E-mail: viel@oats.inaf.it [INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, via Tiepolo 11, I-34131 Trieste (Italy)

    2017-09-01

    Gravitational non-linear evolution induces a shift in the position of the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) peak together with a damping and broadening of its shape that bias and degrades the accuracy with which the position of the peak can be determined. BAO reconstruction is a technique developed to undo part of the effect of non-linearities. We present and analyse a reconstruction method that consists of displacing pixels instead of galaxies and whose implementation is easier than the standard reconstruction method. We show that this method is equivalent to the standard reconstruction technique in the limit where the number of pixels becomes very large. This method is particularly useful in surveys where individual galaxies are not resolved, as in 21cm intensity mapping observations. We validate this method by reconstructing mock pixelated maps, that we build from the distribution of matter and halos in real- and redshift-space, from a large set of numerical simulations. We find that this method is able to decrease the uncertainty in the BAO peak position by 30-50% over the typical angular resolution scales of 21 cm intensity mapping experiments.

  10. Patient-specific reconstruction plates are the missing link in computer-assisted mandibular reconstruction: A showcase for technical description.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornelius, Carl-Peter; Smolka, Wenko; Giessler, Goetz A; Wilde, Frank; Probst, Florian A

    2015-06-01

    Preoperative planning of mandibular reconstruction has moved from mechanical simulation by dental model casts or stereolithographic models into an almost completely virtual environment. CAD/CAM applications allow a high level of accuracy by providing a custom template-assisted contouring approach for bone flaps. However, the clinical accuracy of CAD reconstruction is limited by the use of prebent reconstruction plates, an analogue step in an otherwise digital workstream. In this paper the integration of computerized, numerically-controlled (CNC) milled, patient-specific mandibular plates (PSMP) within the virtual workflow of computer-assisted mandibular free fibula flap reconstruction is illustrated in a clinical case. Intraoperatively, the bone segments as well as the plate arms showed a very good fit. Postoperative CT imaging demonstrated close approximation of the PSMP and fibular segments, and good alignment of native mandible and fibular segments and intersegmentally. Over a follow-up period of 12 months, there was an uneventful course of healing with good bony consolidation. The virtual design and automated fabrication of patient-specific mandibular reconstruction plates provide the missing link in the virtual workflow of computer-assisted mandibular free fibula flap reconstruction. Copyright © 2015 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Simulated annealing image reconstruction for positron emission tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sundermann, E.; Lemahieu, I.; Desmedt, P.

    1994-01-01

    In Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images have to be reconstructed from moisy projection data. The noise on the PET data can be modeled by a Poison distribution. In this paper, we present the results of using the simulated annealing technique to reconstruct PET images. Various parameter settings of the simulated annealing algorithm are discussed and optimized. The reconstructed images are of good quality and high contrast, in comparison to other reconstruction techniques. (authors)

  12. Mandibular reconstruction in adults: a review.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goh, B.T.; Lee, S.; Tideman, H.; Stoelinga, P.J.W.

    2008-01-01

    Mandibular defects may result from trauma, inflammatory disease and benign or malignant tumours. Mastication, speech and facial aesthetics are often severely compromised without reconstruction. The goal of mandibular reconstruction is to restore facial form and function, implying repair of

  13. Innovations in diabetic foot reconstruction using supermicrosurgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suh, Hyun Suk; Oh, Tae Suk; Hong, Joon Pio

    2016-01-01

    The treatment of diabetic foot ulceration is complex with multiple factors involved, and it may often lead to limb amputation. Hence, a multidisciplinary approach is warranted to cover the spectrum of treatment for diabetic foot, but in complex wounds, surgical treatment is inevitable. Surgery may involve the decision to preserve the limb by reconstruction or to amputate it. Reconstruction involves preserving the limb with secure coverage. Local flaps usually are able to provide sufficient coverage for small or moderate sized wound, but for larger wounds, soft tissue coverage involves flaps that are distantly located from the wound. Reconstruction of distant flap usually involves microsurgery, and now, further innovative methods such as supermicrosurgery have further given complex wounds a better chance to be reconstructed and limbs salvaged. This article reviews the microsurgery involved in reconstruction and introduces the new method of supermicrosurgery. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Decreased Knee Joint Loading Associated With Early Knee Osteoarthritis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wellsandt, Elizabeth; Gardinier, Emily S; Manal, Kurt; Axe, Michael J; Buchanan, Thomas S; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn

    2016-01-01

    Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury predisposes individuals to early-onset knee joint osteoarthritis (OA). Abnormal joint loading is apparent after ACL injury and reconstruction. The relationship between altered joint biomechanics and the development of knee OA is unknown. Altered knee joint kinetics and medial compartment contact forces initially after injury and reconstruction are associated with radiographic knee OA 5 years after reconstruction. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Individuals with acute, unilateral ACL injury completed gait analysis before (baseline) and after (posttraining) preoperative rehabilitation and at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after reconstruction. Surface electromyographic and knee biomechanical data served as inputs to an electromyographically driven musculoskeletal model to estimate knee joint contact forces. Patients completed radiographic testing 5 years after reconstruction. Differences in knee joint kinetics and contact forces were compared between patients with and those without radiographic knee OA. Patients with OA walked with greater frontal plane interlimb differences than those without OA (nonOA) at baseline (peak knee adduction moment difference: 0.00 ± 0.08 N·m/kg·m [nonOA] vs -0.15 ± 0.09 N·m/kg·m [OA], P = .014; peak knee adduction moment impulse difference: -0.001 ± 0.032 N·m·s/kg·m [nonOA] vs -0.048 ± 0.031 N·m·s/kg·m [OA], P = .042). The involved limb knee adduction moment impulse of the group with osteoarthritis was also lower than that of the group without osteoarthritis at baseline (0.087 ± 0.023 N·m·s/kg·m [nonOA] vs 0.049 ± 0.018 N·m·s/kg·m [OA], P = .023). Significant group differences were absent at posttraining but reemerged 6 months after reconstruction (peak knee adduction moment difference: 0.02 ± 0.04 N·m/kg·m [nonOA] vs -0.06 ± 0.11 N·m/kg·m [OA], P = .043). In addition, the OA group walked with lower peak medial compartment contact forces of the involved limb

  15. The challenge of pelvic discontinuity: cup-cage reconstruction does better than conventional cages in mid-term.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abolghasemian, M; Tangsaraporn, S; Drexler, M; Barbuto, R; Backstein, D; Safir, O; Kuzyk, P; Gross, A

    2014-02-01

    The use of ilioischial cage reconstruction for pelvic discontinuity has been replaced by the Trabecular Metal (Zimmer, Warsaw, Indiana) cup-cage technique in our institution, due to the unsatisfactory outcome of using a cage alone in this situation. We report the outcome of 26 pelvic discontinuities in 24 patients (20 women and four men, mean age 65 years (44 to 84)) treated by the cup-cage technique at a mean follow-up of 82 months (12 to 113) and compared them with a series of 19 pelvic discontinuities in 19 patients (18 women and one man, mean age 70 years (42 to 86)) treated with a cage at a mean follow-up of 69 months (1 to 170). The clinical and radiological outcomes as well as the survivorship of the groups were compared. In all, four of the cup-cage group (15%) and 13 (68%) of the cage group failed due to septic or aseptic loosening. The seven-year survivorship was 87.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 71 to 103) for the cup-cage group and 49.9% (95% CI 15 to 84) for the cage-alone group (p = 0.009). There were four major complications in the cup-cage group and nine in the cage group. Radiological union of the discontinuity was found in all successful cases in the cup-cage group and three of the successful cage cases. Three hips in the cup-cage group developed early radiological migration of the components, which stabilised with a successful outcome. Cup-cage reconstruction is a reliable technique for treating pelvic discontinuity in mid-term follow-up and is preferred to ilioischial cage reconstruction. If the continuity of the bone graft at the discontinuity site is not disrupted, early migration of the components does not necessarily result in failure.

  16. Church, mission and reconstruction: Being a church with integrity in reconstruction discourse in post-colonial Zimbabwe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Canon B. Shambare

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The church in Africa, like its counterparts elsewhere in the world, is called to fulfil the mission of God as expressed in the call ‘Missio Dei’ and influentially remains with the integrity of the mission of Christ (Missio Christos, which is liberative and practical. For Christ was not only concerned with the spiritual needs of the people, but also with their material well-being. The following question therefore arises: how can the church in Africa, in general, and in Zimbabwe, in particular, actively do God’s mission and remain with integrity in the midst of the reality of suffering. Furthermore, how can the church for mission and reconstruction be understood in a post-colonial Zimbabwe given the contextual realities of political crises, corruption, poverty, moral decadence, defined or censored truth, leadership crises and no freedom of expression? This article argues that, although the church is faced with these arduous realities, it remains called by God to do God’s mission. While in post-colonial Zimbabwe the socio-political, socio-economic and socio-religious situation might seem hopeless, the church has remained vibrant and alive for reconstruction theology. The transformation of society is possible given the authority and mission mandate of the church. This article argues that the church is a key player in reconstruction theology and in the transformation of society. For transformation to be possible, the church should witness to the gospel of Christ without fear of being labelled, castrated and persecuted. The article asserts that the spirit of the Bible should be revived in a time of reconstruction in Zimbabwe. The assumption in this article is that Zimbabwe is ready for reconstruction discourse. For this to happen, the researchers argue that the church as a critical relevant player in reconstruction needs to ‘be church’ in its missional mandates. Integrity is essential if a church wants to be relevantly missional and

  17. HEEL BONE RECONSTRUCTIVE OSTEOSYNTHESIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. N. Svetashov

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available To detect the most appropriate to heel bone injury severity variants of reconstructive osteosynthesis it was analyzed treatment results of 56 patients. In 15 (26.8% patients classic methods of surgical service were applied, in 41 (73.2% cases to restore the defect porous implants were used. Osteosynthesis without heel bone plastic restoration accomplishment was ineffective in 60% patients from control group. Reconstructive osteosynthesis method ensures long-term good functional effect of rehabilitation in 96.4% patients from the basic group.

  18. Vertex reconstruction in CMS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chabanat, E.; D'Hondt, J.; Estre, N.; Fruehwirth, R.; Prokofiev, K.; Speer, T.; Vanlaer, P.; Waltenberger, W.

    2005-01-01

    Due to the high track multiplicity in the final states expected in proton collisions at the LHC experiments, novel vertex reconstruction algorithms are required. The vertex reconstruction problem can be decomposed into a pattern recognition problem ('vertex finding') and an estimation problem ('vertex fitting'). Starting from least-squares methods, robustifications of the classical algorithms are discussed and the statistical properties of the novel methods are shown. A whole set of different approaches for the vertex finding problem is presented and compared in relevant physics channels

  19. Simulated annealing image reconstruction for positron emission tomography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sundermann, E; Lemahieu, I; Desmedt, P [Department of Electronics and Information Systems, University of Ghent, St. Pietersnieuwstraat 41, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium (Belgium)

    1994-12-31

    In Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images have to be reconstructed from moisy projection data. The noise on the PET data can be modeled by a Poison distribution. In this paper, we present the results of using the simulated annealing technique to reconstruct PET images. Various parameter settings of the simulated annealing algorithm are discussed and optimized. The reconstructed images are of good quality and high contrast, in comparison to other reconstruction techniques. (authors). 11 refs., 2 figs.

  20. PRIMARY CEMENTED BIPOLAR HEMIARTHROPLASTY WITH TROCHANTERIC AND CALCAR RECONSTRUCTION IN UNSTABLE INTERTROCHANTERIC FRACTURES IN ELDERLY: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pandu Ranga Vital

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION : To avoid the complications and morbidity associated with attempted Osteosynthesis of the so called Unstable inter - trochanteric fractures in the elderly population, Primary Cemented Bipolar hemiarthroplasty been around for over three decades now. But, hardly any emphasis been given over the technical aspects to i mprove the functional outcome. Present study is one such, following reconstructive attempts ( O f primary cemented bipolar hemiarthroplasty with trochanter and calcar reconstruction in the elderly population to reduce the risk of unstable Hemiarthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 20 cases of elderly patients with mean age of 73.5 years (Age range 66 to 82 yr who sustained multifragmentary/communited inter - trochanteric femur fracture treated with Primary cemented bipolar hemiar throplasty with trochanteric and calcar reconstruction to emphasize the importance of restoration soft tissue tension to reduce the risk of unstable Hemiarthroplasty. Essential Technical steps include Figure of eight / multiple wire loop technique of recons truction ( with or without K ‘wires of greater trochanter/ abductor mechanism and calcar reconstruction either by wiring Lesser trochanteric fragment and or insertion of cortical piece of bone graft (medially under the collar of the prosthesis harvested f rom head and neck fragment. The patients were followed up at six week, three month, six month and one year postoperatively and assessed using Harris Hip Score (HHS. RESULTS: The mean HHS score was 85 (range 69 to 91 at the end of one year. The main clini cal measures were early post - operative full weight bearing, post - operative complication & functional outcome. The time to full weight bearing, the rate of post - operative complications & functional outcome was significantly better in cemented bipolar arthro plasty group. CONCLUSION: The authors strongly believe that primary cemented bipolar

  1. DART: a practical reconstruction algorithm for discrete tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batenburg, Kees Joost; Sijbers, Jan

    2011-09-01

    In this paper, we present an iterative reconstruction algorithm for discrete tomography, called discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART). DART can be applied if the scanned object is known to consist of only a few different compositions, each corresponding to a constant gray value in the reconstruction. Prior knowledge of the gray values for each of the compositions is exploited to steer the current reconstruction towards a reconstruction that contains only these gray values. Based on experiments with both simulated CT data and experimental μCT data, it is shown that DART is capable of computing more accurate reconstructions from a small number of projection images, or from a small angular range, than alternative methods. It is also shown that DART can deal effectively with noisy projection data and that the algorithm is robust with respect to errors in the estimation of the gray values.

  2. Track Simulation and Reconstruction in the ATLAS experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Salzburger, Andreas; Elsing, Markus

    The reconstruction and simulation of particle trajectories is an inevitable part of the analysis strate- gies for data taken with the ATLAS detector. Many aspects and necessary parts of a high-quality track reconstruction will be presented and discussed in this work. At first, the technical realisation of the data model and the reconstruction geometry will be given; the reconstruction geometry is charac- terised by a newly developed navigation model and an automated procedure for the synchronisation of the detailed simulation geometry description with the simplified reconstruction geometry model, which allows a precise description of the tracker material in track reconstruction. Both components help the coherent and fast integration of material effects in a newly established track extrapolation package, that is discussed in the following. The extrapolation engine enables a highly precise trans- port of the track parameterisation and the associated covariances through the complex magnetic field and the detec...

  3. Discovery of Early Triassic conodonts in western Gangdisê and the establishment of the Tangnale Formation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHENG; YouYe; XU; RongKe; WANG; ChengYuan; MA; GuoTao; LAI; XuLong; YE; DeJin; CAO; Liang; LIANG; JiWei

    2007-01-01

    Most geologists believe that there are no Early and Middle Triassic strata in the W. Gandisê stratigraphic subregion, but the present authors have found Early Triassic conodonts for the first time in the Shiquanhe area, including five conodonts genera (Form genera): Pachycladina, Neohindeodella, Cornudina, Hadrodontina and Hibbardella sp. etc. Then we affirm that Early Triassic deposits exist in the Gandisê stratigraphic subregion, and establish the Tangnale Formation. The conclusion is new important complementary basal data for Triassic stratigraphy division of Gangdisê, reconstructing palaogeography and studying Gangdisê from Paleozoic to Mesozoic island-arc evolution and transition.

  4. The treatment effect of porous titanium alloy rod on the early stage talar osteonecrosis of sheep.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Kang Li

    Full Text Available Osteonecrosis of the talus (ONT may severely affect the function of the ankle joint. Most orthopedists believe that ONT should be treated at an early stage, but a concise and effective surgical treatment is lacking. In this study, porous titanium alloy rods were prepared and implanted into the tali of sheep with early-stage ONT (IM group. The curative effect of the rods was compared to treatment by core decompression (DC group. No significant differences in bone reconstruction were observed between the two groups at 1 month after intervention. After 3 months, the macroscopic view of gross specimens of the IM group showed ordinary contours, but the specimens of the DC group showed obvious partial bone defects and cartilage degeneration. Quantitative analysis of the reconstructed trabeculae by micro-CT and histological study suggested that the curative effect of the IM group was superior to that of the DC group at 3 months after intervention. These favorable short-term results of the implantation of porous titanium alloy rods into the tali of sheep with early-stage ONT may provide insight into an innovative surgical treatment for ONT.

  5. Reconstruction of a ring applicator using CT imaging: impact of the reconstruction method and applicator orientation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellebust, Taran Paulsen; Tanderup, Kari; Bergstrand, Eva Stabell

    2007-01-01

    in multiplanar reconstructed images (MPR) and (3) library plans, using pre-defined applicator geometry (LIB). The doses to the lead pellets were calculated. The relative standard deviation (SD) for all reconstruction methods was less than 3.7% in the dose points. The relative SD for the LIB method...

  6. Petrochronology in constraining early Archean Earth processes and environments: Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grosch, Eugene

    2017-04-01

    Analytical and petrological software developments over the past decade have seen rapid innovation in high-spatial resolution petrological techniques, for example, laser-ablation ICP-MS, secondary ion microprobe (SIMS, nano-SIMS), thermodynamic modelling and electron microprobe microscale mapping techniques (e.g. XMapTools). This presentation will focus on the application of petrochronology to ca. 3.55 to 3.33 billion-year-old metavolcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Onverwacht Group, shedding light on the earliest geologic evolution of the Paleoarchean Barberton greenstone belt (BGB) of South Africa. The field, scientific drilling and petrological research conducted over the past 8 years, aims to illustrate how: (a) LA-ICP-MS and SIMS U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology has helped identify the earliest tectono-sedimentary basin and sediment sources in the BGB, as well as reconstructing geodynamic processes as early as ca. 3.432 billion-years ago; (b) in-situ SIMS multiple sulphur isotope analysis of sulphides across various early Archean rock units help to reconstruct atmospheric, surface and subsurface environments on early Archean Earth and (c) the earliest candidate textural traces for subsurface microbial life can be investigated by in-situ LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of titanite, micro-XANES Fe-speciation analysis and metamorphic microscale mapping. Collectively, petrochronology combined with high-resolution field mapping studies, is a powerful multi-disciplinary approach towards deciphering petrogenetic and geodynamic processes preserved in the Paleoarchean Barberton greenstone belt of South Africa, with implications for early Archean Earth evolution.

  7. Bony Reconstruction of the Anterior Glenoid Rim.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willemot, Laurent B; Elhassan, Bassem T; Verborgt, Olivier

    2018-04-13

    Recurrent anterior shoulder instability is associated with glenohumeral bone loss. Glenoid deficiency compromises the concavity-compression mechanism. Medial Hill-Sachs lesions can result in an off-track humeral position. Anterior glenoid reconstruction or augmentation prevents recurrence by addressing the pathomechanics. In Bristow and Latarjet procedures, the coracoid process is harvested for conjoint tendon transfer, capsular reinforcement, and glenoid rim restoration. Complications and the nonanatomic nature of the procedure have spurred research on graft sources. The iliac crest is preferred for autogenous structural grafts. Tricortical, bicortical, and J-bone grafts have shown promising results despite the historical association of Eden-Hybinette procedures with early degenerative joint disease. Allogeneic osteochondral grafts may minimize the risk of arthropathy and donor site morbidity. Tibial plafond and glenoid allografts more closely match the native glenoid geometry and restore the articular chondral environment, compared with conventional grafts. Graft availability, cost, risk of disease transmission, and low chondrocyte viability have slowed the acceptance of osteochondral allografts.

  8. SUBSTANTIATION OF SOLUTIONS PERTAINING TO COMPLEX PRODUCTION RECONSTRUCTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Y. Gurinovich

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available While taking an example of reconstruction and modernization of OJSC «Construction and Mounting Trust No.16, Novopolotsk» the paper substantiates solutions for complex production reconstruction. The production reconstruction is divided in three start-up facilities ensuring continuous finished-product output.

  9. Iterative concurrent reconstruction algorithms for emission computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, J.K.; Hasegawa, B.H.; Lang, T.F.

    1994-01-01

    Direct reconstruction techniques, such as those based on filtered backprojection, are typically used for emission computed tomography (ECT), even though it has been argued that iterative reconstruction methods may produce better clinical images. The major disadvantage of iterative reconstruction algorithms, and a significant reason for their lack of clinical acceptance, is their computational burden. We outline a new class of ''concurrent'' iterative reconstruction techniques for ECT in which the reconstruction process is reorganized such that a significant fraction of the computational processing occurs concurrently with the acquisition of ECT projection data. These new algorithms use the 10-30 min required for acquisition of a typical SPECT scan to iteratively process the available projection data, significantly reducing the requirements for post-acquisition processing. These algorithms are tested on SPECT projection data from a Hoffman brain phantom acquired with a 2 x 10 5 counts in 64 views each having 64 projections. The SPECT images are reconstructed as 64 x 64 tomograms, starting with six angular views. Other angular views are added to the reconstruction process sequentially, in a manner that reflects their availability for a typical acquisition protocol. The results suggest that if T s of concurrent processing are used, the reconstruction processing time required after completion of the data acquisition can be reduced by at least 1/3 T s. (Author)

  10. SEGEBERG 1600 – RECONSTRUCTING A HISTORIC TOWN FOR VIRTUAL REALITY VISUALISATION AS AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Deggim

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The 3D reconstruction of historic buildings and cities offers an opportunity to experience the history of relevant objects and their development over the centuries. Digital visualisations of such historic objects allow for a more natural view of history as well as showing information that is not possible in a real world setting. New presentation forms, such as the virtual reality (VR system HTC Vive, can be used to disseminate information in another dimension and simplify the access by changing the user’s viewpoint from a listener and viewer into being an integrated part of an interactive situation. In general, this approach is a combination of education and entertainment, also known as “edutainment” or “gamification”, a term used in the education sector as describing where motivation to learn is encouraged through adding a competitive element. It is thus a step away from simple consumption of information towards experiencing information and a more literal interpretation of “living history”. In this contribution, we present the development of a 3D reconstruction of the two towns Segeberg and Gieschenhagen (today: Bad Segeberg in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in the Early Modern Age around 1600. The historic landscape and its conversion from a reconstructed virtual town model into an interactive VR application is also described. The reconstruction is based on a recent digital terrain model as well as survey data of surviving buildings, historic visual information based on historic drawings and written accounts from that era. All datasets are combined to a single walkable virtual world that spans approximately 3 km².

  11. Weight Multispectral Reconstruction Strategy for Enhanced Reconstruction Accuracy and Stability With Cerenkov Luminescence Tomography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hongbo Guo; Xiaowei He; Muhan Liu; Zeyu Zhang; Zhenhua Hu; Jie Tian

    2017-06-01

    Cerenkov luminescence tomography (CLT) provides a novel technique for 3-D noninvasive detection of radiopharmaceuticals in living subjects. However, because of the severe scattering of Cerenkov light, the reconstruction accuracy and stability of CLT is still unsatisfied. In this paper, a modified weight multispectral CLT (wmCLT) reconstruction strategy was developed which split the Cerenkov radiation spectrum into several sub-spectral bands and weighted the sub-spectral results to obtain the final result. To better evaluate the property of the wmCLT reconstruction strategy in terms of accuracy, stability and practicability, several numerical simulation experiments and in vivo experiments were conducted and the results obtained were compared with the traditional multispectral CLT (mCLT) and hybrid-spectral CLT (hCLT) reconstruction strategies. The numerical simulation results indicated that wmCLT strategy significantly improved the accuracy of Cerenkov source localization and intensity quantitation and exhibited good stability in suppressing noise in numerical simulation experiments. And the comparison of the results achieved from different in vivo experiments further indicated significant improvement of the wmCLT strategy in terms of the shape recovery of the bladder and the spatial resolution of imaging xenograft tumors. Overall the strategy reported here will facilitate the development of nuclear and optical molecular tomography in theoretical study.

  12. Early intensive rehabilitation after oral cancer treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bschorer, Maximilian; Schneider, Daniel; Hennig, Matthias; Frank, Bernd; Schön, Gerhard; Heiland, Max; Bschorer, Reinhard

    2018-06-01

    The treatment of oral cancer requires an effective rehabilitation strategy such as an early intensive rehabilitation (EIR) program. The medical records and data of 41 patients who participated in an EIR program and 20 control group patients were analyzed. These patients all underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor followed by microsurgical reconstruction using free flaps. The length of stay (LOS) at the acute care hospital was compared between the two groups. Four indexes were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the EIR program. EIR patients stayed an average of 11.6 fewer days at the acute care hospital. All indexes showed significant improvements (p < 0.001). The Barthel Index (BI) and the Early Intensive Rehabilitation Barthel Index (EIR-BI) improved by 36.0 and 103.6 points, respectively. At discharge, the Bogenhausener Dysphagia Score (BODS) had improved to a score of 11.0 compared to the 13.9 at admission. EIR patients had a Work Ability Index (WAI) score of 25.7. Length of stay at the acute care hospital can be reduced using early intensive rehabilitation if patients are transferred to an intensive rehabilitation clinic early. Copyright © 2018 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Paleoclimatic reconstruction in the Bolivian Andes from oxygen isotope analysis of lake sediment cellulose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolfe, B.B.; Aravena, R.; Gibson, J.J.; Abbott, M.B.; Seltzer, G.O.

    2002-01-01

    Cellulose-inferred lake water δ 18 O (δ 18 O lw ) records from Lago Potosi, a seasonally-closed lake in a watershed that is not currently glaciated, and Lago Taypi Chaka Kkota, an overflowing lake in a glaciated watershed, provide the basis for late Pleistocene and Holocene paleoclimatic reconstruction in the Bolivian Andes. Deconvolution of the histories of changing evaporative isotopic enrichment from source water δ 18 O in the lake sediment records is constrained by comparison to the Sajama ice core oxygen isotope profile. At Lago Potosi, the δ 18 O lw record appears to be dominantly controlled by evaporative 18 O-enrichment, reflecting shifts in local effective moisture. Using an isotope-mass balance model, a preliminary quantitative reconstruction of summer relative humidity spanning the past 11,500 cal yr is derived from the Lago Potosi Π 18 O lw record. Results indicate that the late Pleistocene was moist with summer relative humidity values estimated at 10-20% greater than present. Increasing aridity developed in the early Holocene with maximum prolonged dryness spanning 7500 to 6000 cal yr BP at Lago Potosi, an interval characterized by summer relative humidity values that may have been 20% lower than present. Highly variable but dominantly arid conditions persist in the mid- to late Holocene, with average summer relative humidity values estimated at 15% below present, which then increase to about 10-20% greater than present by 2000 cal yr BP. Slightly more arid conditions characterize the last millennium with summer relative humidity values ranging from 5-10% lower than present. Similar long-term variations are evident in the Lago Taypi Chaka Kkota δ 18 O lw profile, except during the early Holocene when lake water evaporative 18 Oenrichment in response to low relative humidity appears to have been offset by enhanced inflow from 18 O-depleted snowmelt or groundwater from the large catchment. Close correspondence occurs between the isotope

  14. Rates of Reconstruction Failure in Patients Undergoing Immediate Reconstruction With Tissue Expanders and/or Implants and Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fowble, Barbara, E-mail: BFowble@radonc.ucsf.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Park, Catherine [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Wang, Frederick; Peled, Anne [Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Alvarado, Michael; Ewing, Cheryl; Esserman, Laura [Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center, Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Foster, Robert; Sbitany, Hani [Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Hanlon, Alex [University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

    2015-07-01

    Objectives: Mastectomy rates for breast cancer have increased, with a parallel increase in immediate reconstruction. For some women, tissue expander and implant (TE/I) reconstruction is the preferred or sole option. This retrospective study examined the rate of TE/I reconstruction failure (ie, removal of the TE or I with the inability to replace it resulting in no final reconstruction or autologous tissue reconstruction) in patients receiving postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT). Methods and Materials: Between 2004 and 2012, 99 women had skin-sparing mastectomies (SSM) or total nipple/areolar skin-sparing mastectomies (TSSM) with immediate TE/I reconstruction and PMRT for pathologic stage II to III breast cancer. Ninety-seven percent had chemotherapy (doxorubicin and taxane-based), 22% underwent targeted therapies, and 78% had endocrine therapy. Radiation consisted of 5000 cGy given in 180 to 200 cGy to the reconstructed breast with or without treatment to the supraclavicular nodes. Median follow-up was 3.8 years. Results: Total TE/I failure was 18% (12% without final reconstruction, 6% converted to autologous reconstruction). In univariate analysis, the strongest predictor of reconstruction failure (RF) was absence of total TE/I coverage (acellular dermal matrix and/or serratus muscle) at the time of radiation. RF occurred in 32.5% of patients without total coverage compared to 9% with coverage (P=.0069). For women with total coverage, the location of the mastectomy scar in the inframammary fold region was associated with higher RF (19% vs 0%, P=.0189). In multivariate analysis, weight was a significant factor for RF, with lower weight associated with a higher RF. Weight appeared to be a surrogate for the interaction of total coverage, thin skin flaps, interval to exchange, and location of the mastectomy scar. Conclusions: RFs in patients receiving PMRT were lowered with total TE/I coverage at the time of radiation by avoiding inframammary fold incisions and

  15. Final results of the gradual reconstruction of Bohunice VI in Slovakia and evaluation of the reconstruction by international missions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferenc, M.

    2001-01-01

    The gradual reconstruction of the Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant (Slovakia) represents the most extensive reconstruction of a nuclear power plant in operation as implemented worldwide up to now. Extensive reconstruction works in both civil construction and process parts, in instrumentation and control part, and in electric part enhanced both nuclear safety and operational reliability of Bohunice V1 in a significant way.(author)

  16. Accelerating an Ordered-Subset Low-Dose X-Ray Cone Beam Computed Tomography Image Reconstruction with a Power Factor and Total Variation Minimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Hsuan-Ming; Hsiao, Ing-Tsung

    2016-01-01

    In recent years, there has been increased interest in low-dose X-ray cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in many fields, including dentistry, guided radiotherapy and small animal imaging. Despite reducing the radiation dose, low-dose CBCT has not gained widespread acceptance in routine clinical practice. In addition to performing more evaluation studies, developing a fast and high-quality reconstruction algorithm is required. In this work, we propose an iterative reconstruction method that accelerates ordered-subsets (OS) reconstruction using a power factor. Furthermore, we combine it with the total-variation (TV) minimization method. Both simulation and phantom studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Results show that the proposed method can accelerate conventional OS methods, greatly increase the convergence speed in early iterations. Moreover, applying the TV minimization to the power acceleration scheme can further improve the image quality while preserving the fast convergence rate.

  17. Track reconstruction in CMS high luminosity environment

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(CDS)2067159

    2016-01-01

    The CMS tracker is the largest silicon detector ever built, covering 200 square meters and providing an average of 14 high-precision measurements per track. Tracking is essential for the reconstruction of objects like jets, muons, electrons and tau leptons starting from the raw data from the silicon pixel and strip detectors. Track reconstruction is widely used also at trigger level as it improves objects tagging and resolution.The CMS tracking code is organized in several levels, known as iterative steps, each optimized to reconstruct a class of particle trajectories, as the ones of particles originating from the primary vertex or displaced tracks from particles resulting from secondary vertices. Each iterative step consists of seeding, pattern recognition and fitting by a kalman filter, and a final filtering and cleaning. Each subsequent step works on hits not yet associated to a reconstructed particle trajectory.The CMS tracking code is continuously evolving to make the reconstruction computing load compat...

  18. Track reconstruction in CMS high luminosity environment

    CERN Document Server

    Goetzmann, Christophe

    2014-01-01

    The CMS tracker is the largest silicon detector ever built, covering 200 square meters and providing an average of 14 high-precision measurements per track. Tracking is essential for the reconstruction of objects like jets, muons, electrons and tau leptons starting from the raw data from the silicon pixel and strip detectors. Track reconstruction is widely used also at trigger level as it improves objects tagging and resolution.The CMS tracking code is organized in several levels, known as iterative steps, each optimized to reconstruct a class of particle trajectories, as the ones of particles originating from the primary vertex or displaced tracks from particles resulting from secondary vertices. Each iterative step consists of seeding, pattern recognition and fitting by a kalman filter, and a final filtering and cleaning. Each subsequent step works on hits not yet associated to a reconstructed particle trajectory.The CMS tracking code is continuously evolving to make the reconstruction computing load compat...

  19. Current Strategies in Reconstruction of Maxillectomy Defects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrades, Patricio; Militsakh, Oleg; Hanasono, Matthew M.; Rieger, Jana; Rosenthal, Eben L.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To outline a contemporary review of defect classification and reconstructive options. Design Review article. Setting Tertiary care referral centers. Results Although prosthetic rehabilitation remains the standard of care in many institutions, the discomfort of wearing, removing, and cleaning a prosthesis; the inability to retain a prosthesis in large defects; and the frequent need for readjustments often limit the value of this cost-effective and successful method of restoring speech and mastication. However, flap reconstruction offers an option for many, although there is no agreement as to which techniques should be used for optimal reconstruction. Flap reconstruction also involves a longer recovery time with increased risk of surgical complications, has higher costs associated with the procedure, and requires access to a highly experienced surgeon. Conclusion The surgeon and reconstructive team must make individualized decisions based on the extent of the maxillectomy defect (eg, the resection of the infraorbital rim, the extent of palate excision, skin compromise) and the need for radiation therapy. PMID:21844415

  20. Reconstructing baryon oscillations: A Lagrangian theory perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Padmanabhan, Nikhil; White, Martin; Cohn, J. D.

    2009-01-01

    Recently Eisenstein and collaborators introduced a method to 'reconstruct' the linear power spectrum from a nonlinearly evolved galaxy distribution in order to improve precision in measurements of baryon acoustic oscillations. We reformulate this method within the Lagrangian picture of structure formation, to better understand what such a method does, and what the resulting power spectra are. We show that reconstruction does not reproduce the linear density field, at second order. We however show that it does reduce the damping of the oscillations due to nonlinear structure formation, explaining the improvements seen in simulations. Our results suggest that the reconstructed power spectrum is potentially better modeled as the sum of three different power spectra, each dominating over different wavelength ranges and with different nonlinear damping terms. Finally, we also show that reconstruction reduces the mode-coupling term in the power spectrum, explaining why miscalibrations of the acoustic scale are reduced when one considers the reconstructed power spectrum.

  1. Primary Vertex Reconstruction at the ATLAS Experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Grimm, Kathryn; The ATLAS collaboration

    2016-01-01

    Efficient and precise reconstruction of the primary vertex in an LHC collision is essential in both the reconstruction of the full kinematic properties of a hard-scatter event and of soft interactions as a measure of the amount of pile-up. The reconstruction of primary vertices in the busy, high pile-up environment of Run-2 of the LHC is a challenging task. New methods have been developed by the ATLAS experiment to reconstruct vertices in such environments. Advances in vertex seeding include methods taken from medical imaging, which allow for reconstruction of multiple vertices with small spatial separation. The adoption of this new seeding algorithm within the ATLAS adaptive vertex finding and fitting procedure will be discussed, and the first results of the new techniques from Run-2 data will be presented. Additionally, data-driven methods to evaluate vertex resolution will be presented with special focus on correct methods to evaluate the effect of the beam spot constraint; results from these methods in Ru...

  2. Model-Based Reconstructive Elasticity Imaging Using Ultrasound

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salavat R. Aglyamov

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Elasticity imaging is a reconstructive imaging technique where tissue motion in response to mechanical excitation is measured using modern imaging systems, and the estimated displacements are then used to reconstruct the spatial distribution of Young's modulus. Here we present an ultrasound elasticity imaging method that utilizes the model-based technique for Young's modulus reconstruction. Based on the geometry of the imaged object, only one axial component of the strain tensor is used. The numerical implementation of the method is highly efficient because the reconstruction is based on an analytic solution of the forward elastic problem. The model-based approach is illustrated using two potential clinical applications: differentiation of liver hemangioma and staging of deep venous thrombosis. Overall, these studies demonstrate that model-based reconstructive elasticity imaging can be used in applications where the geometry of the object and the surrounding tissue is somewhat known and certain assumptions about the pathology can be made.

  3. Outcome of different facial nerve reconstruction techniques

    OpenAIRE

    Mohamed, Aboshanif; Omi, Eigo; Honda, Kohei; Suzuki, Shinsuke; Ishikawa, Kazuo

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: There is no technique of facial nerve reconstruction that guarantees facial function recovery up to grade III. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different facial nerve reconstruction techniques. Methods: Facial nerve reconstruction was performed in 22 patients (facial nerve interpositional graft in 11 patients and hypoglossal-facial nerve transfer in another 11 patients). All patients had facial function House-Brackmann (HB) grade VI, either caused by...

  4. A Revised Set of Dendroclimatic Reconstructions of Summer Drought over the Conterminous U.S.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Z.; Mann, M. E.; Cook, E. R.

    2002-12-01

    reconstruction at the end of the procedure). The PDSI field was separated into 8 relatively homogenous regions of summer drought though a cluster analysis, and three distinct calibration schemes were investigated: (i) 'global' (i.e., entire conterminous U.S. domain) proxy data calibrated against 'global' PDSI; (ii) regional proxy data calibrated against regional PDSI, and (iii) global proxy data calibrated against regional PDSI. The greatest cross-validated skill was evident for case (iii), suggesting the existence of useful non-local information in the tree ring predictor set. The resulting reconstructions of drought were compared against the previous reconstructions of Cook et al (1999) back to 1700, with very similar results found for the domain mean and regional mean time series. Cross-validation results based on withheld late 19th/early 20th century instrumental data [and a regionally-limited extension of cross-validation results back to mid 19th century based on long available instrumental series] both suggest a modest improvement in reconstructive skill over the PPR approach. Differences at the regional scale are evident for particular years and for decadal drought episodes. At the continental scale, the 1930s "Dust Bowl" remains the most severe drought event since 1700 within the context of the estimated uncertainties, but more severe episodes may have occurred at regional scales in past centuries.

  5. Sparse Reconstruction for Temperature Distribution Using DTS Fiber Optic Sensors with Applications in Electrical Generator Stator Monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Paulo Bazzo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an image reconstruction method to monitor the temperature distribution of electric generator stators. The main objective is to identify insulation failures that may arise as hotspots in the structure. The method is based on temperature readings of fiber optic distributed sensors (DTS and a sparse reconstruction algorithm. Thermal images of the structure are formed by appropriately combining atoms of a dictionary of hotspots, which was constructed by finite element simulation with a multi-physical model. Due to difficulties for reproducing insulation faults in real stator structure, experimental tests were performed using a prototype similar to the real structure. The results demonstrate the ability of the proposed method to reconstruct images of hotspots with dimensions down to 15 cm, representing a resolution gain of up to six times when compared to the DTS spatial resolution. In addition, satisfactory results were also obtained to detect hotspots with only 5 cm. The application of the proposed algorithm for thermal imaging of generator stators can contribute to the identification of insulation faults in early stages, thereby avoiding catastrophic damage to the structure.

  6. New aristonectine elasmosaurid plesiosaur specimens from the Early Maastrichtian of Angola and comments on paedomorphism in plesiosaurs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Araújo, R.; Polcyn, Michael J.; Lindgren, J.; Jacobs, L.; Schulp, A. S.; Mateus, O.; Gonçalves, António Olímpio; Morais, M.L.

    2014-01-01

    New elasmosaurid plesiosaur specimens are described from the Early Maastrichtian of Angola. Phylogenetic analyses reconstruct the Angolan taxon as an aristonectine elasmosaurid and the sister taxon of an unnamed form of similar age from New Zealand. Comparisons also indicate a close relationship

  7. Improving outcomes in microsurgical breast reconstruction: lessons learnt from 406 consecutive DIEP/TRAM flaps performed by a single surgeon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damen, Tim H C; Morritt, Andrew N; Zhong, Toni; Ahmad, Jamil; Hofer, Stefan O P

    2013-08-01

    Multiple preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative decisions can influence the outcome of microsurgical breast reconstruction. We have simplified the decision-making process by incorporating a number of algorithms into our microsurgical breast reconstruction practice and critically review our results in this study. Prospectively maintained databases for all microsurgical breast reconstructions performed by a single surgeon over a nine-year period were examined to determine: patient demographics; operative details including flap choice, donor and recipient vessel selection; and, details of intraoperative and early postoperative (406 Consecutive free flap microsurgical breast reconstructions (164 unilateral and 121 bilateral) were performed in 285 patients over the study period. Deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flaps (88%, n=359) were used most commonly followed by muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (MS-TRAM) flaps (11%, n=44), and fascial-sparing TRAM (FS-TRAM) flaps (0.7%, n=3). One-hundred-seventy-one (48%) DIEP flaps were based on a single perforator while 188 (52%) had multiple perforators. The internal mammary (IM) artery and vein were used as the recipient vessels for 99% (n=403) of flaps. A second venous anastomosis was required for 11.8 percent (n=48) of flaps. Partial flap failure occurred in nine (2.2%) flaps while total flap failure occurred in two flaps (0.5%). Minimum follow-up was three months. Incorporating a number of algorithms into our practice has enabled us to simplify the decision-making processes involved in microsurgical breast reconstruction and to consistently obtain successful surgical outcomes. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Baja California, cool-season precipitation reconstructed from earlywood width of Abies concolor tree rings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meko, D. M.; Touchan, R.; Díaz, J. Villanueva; Griffin, D.; Woodhouse, C. A.; Castro, C. L.; Carillo, C.; Leavitt, S. W.

    2013-12-01

    Tree ring data are analyzed for a multicentury record of drought history in the Sierra San Pedro Mártir (SSPM) of Baja California, Mexico. Climatic variation in the study area is of particular interest because the SSPM is a rich biotic environment at the southern limit of the California floristic province and the southern limit of the planetary jet stream. Future shifts in the jet stream would be expected to have amplified effect on this marginal environment. The study applies linear regression to tree ring indices of earlywood-width of Abies concolor to estimate a 353 year (1658-2010 C.E.) record of cool-season (October-April) precipitation, P, in SSPM. Time-nested regression models account for more than half the variance of grid point P in calibration periods of length 50-65 years. Cross-spectral analysis indicates strong tracking of observed P by the reconstruction over a broad range of frequencies. Robustness of the reconstruction is supported by synchrony of reconstructed P with tree ring variations in other tree species from SSPM. The reconstruction emphasizes the severity of the 1950s drought in a long-term context and the single-year intensity of droughts in the last decade: 2007 stands out as the driest reconstructed year, with a high percentage of missing rings in A. concolor. The reconstruction identifies the early twentieth century pluvial as the wettest epoch in the last 353 years in the SSPM. High-elevation tree species in SSPM may be especially well-suited to sensing snowpack-related moisture variations associated with a southerly branched jet stream and the types of weather systems active in the pluvial.

  9. An Intelligent Actuator Fault Reconstruction Scheme for Robotic Manipulators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Bing; Yin, Shen

    2018-02-01

    This paper investigates a difficult problem of reconstructing actuator faults for robotic manipulators. An intelligent approach with fast reconstruction property is developed. This is achieved by using observer technique. This scheme is capable of precisely reconstructing the actual actuator fault. It is shown by Lyapunov stability analysis that the reconstruction error can converge to zero after finite time. A perfect reconstruction performance including precise and fast properties can be provided for actuator fault. The most important feature of the scheme is that, it does not depend on control law, dynamic model of actuator, faults' type, and also their time-profile. This super reconstruction performance and capability of the proposed approach are further validated by simulation and experimental results.

  10. Multicore Performance of Block Algebraic Iterative Reconstruction Methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Hans Henrik B.; Hansen, Per Christian

    2014-01-01

    Algebraic iterative methods are routinely used for solving the ill-posed sparse linear systems arising in tomographic image reconstruction. Here we consider the algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) and the simultaneous iterative reconstruction techniques (SIRT), both of which rely on semiconv......Algebraic iterative methods are routinely used for solving the ill-posed sparse linear systems arising in tomographic image reconstruction. Here we consider the algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) and the simultaneous iterative reconstruction techniques (SIRT), both of which rely...... on semiconvergence. Block versions of these methods, based on a partitioning of the linear system, are able to combine the fast semiconvergence of ART with the better multicore properties of SIRT. These block methods separate into two classes: those that, in each iteration, access the blocks in a sequential manner...... a fixed relaxation parameter in each method, namely, the one that leads to the fastest semiconvergence. Computational results show that for multicore computers, the sequential approach is preferable....

  11. Pediatric thermal injury: acute care and reconstruction update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armour, Alexis D; Billmire, David A

    2009-07-01

    The acute and reconstructive care of each pediatric burn patient presents unique challenges to the plastic surgeon and the burn care team. : The purpose of this review article is to highlight the interdependence between the acute and reconstructive needs of pediatric burn patients as it pertains to each anatomical site. Relevant principles of acute pediatric burn care and burn reconstruction are outlined, based on the authors' experience and review of the literature. The need for late reconstruction in pediatric burn survivors is significantly influenced by the acute surgical and rehabilitative treatments. With their vulnerability to airway swelling, hypothermia, pulmonary edema, and ischemia-reperfusion injury, pediatric patients with large burns require precise, life-saving treatment in the acute phase. Decision-making in pediatric burn reconstruction must take into account the patient's future growth, maturity, and often lack of suitable donor sites. Appropriately selected reconstructive techniques are essential to optimize function, appearance, and quality of life in pediatric burn survivors.

  12. Advances in Bioprinting Technologies for Craniofacial Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visscher, Dafydd O; Farré-Guasch, Elisabet; Helder, Marco N; Gibbs, Susan; Forouzanfar, Tymour; van Zuijlen, Paul P; Wolff, Jan

    2016-09-01

    Recent developments in craniofacial reconstruction have shown important advances in both the materials and methods used. While autogenous tissue is still considered to be the gold standard for these reconstructions, the harvesting procedure remains tedious and in many cases causes significant donor site morbidity. These limitations have subsequently led to the development of less invasive techniques such as 3D bioprinting that could offer possibilities to manufacture patient-tailored bioactive tissue constructs for craniofacial reconstruction. Here, we discuss the current technological and (pre)clinical advances of 3D bioprinting for use in craniofacial reconstruction and highlight the challenges that need to be addressed in the coming years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Vertex Reconstruction in CMS

    CERN Document Server

    Chabanat, E; D'Hondt, J; Vanlaer, P; Prokofiev, K; Speer, T; Frühwirth, R; Waltenberger, W

    2005-01-01

    Because of the high track multiplicity in the final states expected in proton collisions at the LHC experiments, novel vertex reconstruction algorithms are required. The vertex reconstruction problem can be decomposed into a pattern recognition problem ("vertex finding") and an estimation problem ("vertex fitting"). Starting from least-square methods, ways to render the classical algorithms more robust are discussed and the statistical properties of the novel methods are shown. A whole set of different approaches for the vertex finding problem is presented and compared in relevant physics channels.

  14. Algorithms for Reconstruction of Undersampled Atomic Force Microscopy Images Supplementary Material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2017-01-01

    Two Jupyter Notebooks showcasing reconstructions of undersampled atomic force microscopy images. The reconstructions were obtained using a variety of interpolation and reconstruction methods.......Two Jupyter Notebooks showcasing reconstructions of undersampled atomic force microscopy images. The reconstructions were obtained using a variety of interpolation and reconstruction methods....

  15. Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a Middle Pleistocene cave bear reconstructed from ultrashort DNA fragments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dabney, Jesse; Knapp, Michael; Glocke, Isabelle; Gansauge, Marie-Theres; Weihmann, Antje; Nickel, Birgit; Valdiosera, Cristina; García, Nuria; Pääbo, Svante; Arsuaga, Juan-Luis; Meyer, Matthias

    2013-09-24

    Although an inverse relationship is expected in ancient DNA samples between the number of surviving DNA fragments and their length, ancient DNA sequencing libraries are strikingly deficient in molecules shorter than 40 bp. We find that a loss of short molecules can occur during DNA extraction and present an improved silica-based extraction protocol that enables their efficient retrieval. In combination with single-stranded DNA library preparation, this method enabled us to reconstruct the mitochondrial genome sequence from a Middle Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus deningeri) bone excavated at Sima de los Huesos in the Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain. Phylogenetic reconstructions indicate that the U. deningeri sequence forms an early diverging sister lineage to all Western European Late Pleistocene cave bears. Our results prove that authentic ancient DNA can be preserved for hundreds of thousand years outside of permafrost. Moreover, the techniques presented enable the retrieval of phylogenetically informative sequences from samples in which virtually all DNA is diminished to fragments shorter than 50 bp.

  16. RECONSTRUCTING WOMANHOOD IN TONY MORRISON'S BELOVED

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Setefanus Suprajitno

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Tony Morrison's fifth novel, Beloved (1987, explores the degradation of slavery imposed upon slaves, even when they were owned by a "humane" slave master. The novel is set in the Reconstruction period, the period after the American civil war. The word reconstruction may be used for the Afro-Americans, especially for the Afro-American women who face double discrimination for being black and women. In dealing with women's oppression, Afro-American women have to reconstruct themselves as an act of survival, and to be aware of the horrors of the experiences which their ancestors had to go through.

  17. Nucleologenesis and embryonic genome activation are defective in interspecies cloned embryos between bovine ooplasm and rhesus monkey somatic cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han Yong-Mahn

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT has been proposed as a tool to address basic developmental questions and to improve the feasibility of cell therapy. However, the low efficiency of iSCNT embryonic development is a crucial problem when compared to in vitro fertilization (IVF and intraspecies SCNT. Thus, we examined the effect of donor cell species on the early development of SCNT embryos after reconstruction with bovine ooplasm. Results No apparent difference in cleavage rate was found among IVF, monkey-bovine (MB-iSCNT, and bovine-bovine (BB-SCNT embryos. However, MB-iSCNT embryos failed to develop beyond the 8- or 16-cell stages and lacked expression of the genes involved in embryonic genome activation (EGA at the 8-cell stage. From ultrastructural observations made during the peri-EGA period using transmission electron microscopy (TEM, we found that the nucleoli of MB-iSCNT embryos were morphologically abnormal or arrested at the primary stage of nucleologenesis. Consistent with the TEM analysis, nucleolar component proteins, such as upstream binding transcription factor, fibrillarin, nucleolin, and nucleophosmin, showed decreased expression and were structurally disorganized in MB-iSCNT embryos compared to IVF and BB-SCNT embryos, as revealed by real-time PCR and immunofluorescence confocal laser scanning microscopy, respectively. Conclusion The down-regulation of housekeeping and imprinting genes, abnormal nucleolar morphology, and aberrant patterns of nucleolar proteins during EGA resulted in developmental failure in MB-iSCNT embryos. These results provide insight into the unresolved problems of early embryonic development in iSCNT embryos.

  18. GEODESIC RECONSTRUCTION, SADDLE ZONES & HIERARCHICAL SEGMENTATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serge Beucher

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The morphological reconstruction based on geodesic operators, is a powerful tool in mathematical morphology. The general definition of this reconstruction supposes the use of a marker function f which is not necessarily related to the function g to be built. However, this paper deals with operations where the marker function is defined from given characteristic regions of the initial function f, as it is the case, for instance, for the extrema (maxima or minima but also for the saddle zones. Firstly, we show that the intuitive definition of a saddle zone is not easy to handle, especially when digitised images are involved. However, some of these saddle zones (regional ones also called overflow zones can be defined, this definition providing a simple algorithm to extract them. The second part of the paper is devoted to the use of these overflow zones as markers in image reconstruction. This reconstruction provides a new function which exhibits a new hierarchy of extrema. This hierarchy is equivalent to the hierarchy produced by the so-called waterfall algorithm. We explain why the waterfall algorithm can be achieved by performing a watershed transform of the function reconstructed by its initial watershed lines. Finally, some examples of use of this hierarchical segmentation are described.

  19. Craniofacial Reconstruction Evaluation by Geodesic Network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junli Zhao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Craniofacial reconstruction is to estimate an individual’s face model from its skull. It has a widespread application in forensic medicine, archeology, medical cosmetic surgery, and so forth. However, little attention is paid to the evaluation of craniofacial reconstruction. This paper proposes an objective method to evaluate globally and locally the reconstructed craniofacial faces based on the geodesic network. Firstly, the geodesic networks of the reconstructed craniofacial face and the original face are built, respectively, by geodesics and isogeodesics, whose intersections are network vertices. Then, the absolute value of the correlation coefficient of the features of all corresponding geodesic network vertices between two models is taken as the holistic similarity, where the weighted average of the shape index values in a neighborhood is defined as the feature of each network vertex. Moreover, the geodesic network vertices of each model are divided into six subareas, that is, forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, and chin, and the local similarity is measured for each subarea. Experiments using 100 pairs of reconstructed craniofacial faces and their corresponding original faces show that the evaluation by our method is roughly consistent with the subjective evaluation derived from thirty-five persons in five groups.

  20. Accelerated Compressed Sensing Based CT Image Reconstruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashemi, SayedMasoud; Beheshti, Soosan; Gill, Patrick R; Paul, Narinder S; Cobbold, Richard S C

    2015-01-01

    In X-ray computed tomography (CT) an important objective is to reduce the radiation dose without significantly degrading the image quality. Compressed sensing (CS) enables the radiation dose to be reduced by producing diagnostic images from a limited number of projections. However, conventional CS-based algorithms are computationally intensive and time-consuming. We propose a new algorithm that accelerates the CS-based reconstruction by using a fast pseudopolar Fourier based Radon transform and rebinning the diverging fan beams to parallel beams. The reconstruction process is analyzed using a maximum-a-posterior approach, which is transformed into a weighted CS problem. The weights involved in the proposed model are calculated based on the statistical characteristics of the reconstruction process, which is formulated in terms of the measurement noise and rebinning interpolation error. Therefore, the proposed method not only accelerates the reconstruction, but also removes the rebinning and interpolation errors. Simulation results are shown for phantoms and a patient. For example, a 512 × 512 Shepp-Logan phantom when reconstructed from 128 rebinned projections using a conventional CS method had 10% error, whereas with the proposed method the reconstruction error was less than 1%. Moreover, computation times of less than 30 sec were obtained using a standard desktop computer without numerical optimization.