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Regenerative medicine, and dentistry offers enormous potential for enhancing treatment results and has been fueled by bioengineering breakthroughs over the previous few decades. Bioengineered tissues and constructing functional structures capable of healing, maintaining, and regenerating damaged tissues and organs have had a broad influence on medicine and dentistry. Approaches for combining bioinspired materials, cells, and therapeutic chemicals are critical in stimulating tissue regeneration or as medicinal systems. Because of its capacity to maintain an unique 3D form, offer physical stability for the cells in produced tissues, and replicate the native tissues, hydrogels have been utilized as one of the most frequent tissue engineering scaffolds during the last twenty years. Hydrogels' high water content can provide an excellent conditions for cell viability as well as an architecture that mimics real tissues, bone, and cartilage. Hydrogels have been used to enable cell immobilization and growth factor application. This paper summarizes the features, structure, synthesis and production methods, uses, new challenges, and future prospects of bioactive polymeric hydrogels in dental and osseous tissue engineering of clinical, exploring, systematical and scientific applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting with the origin of Chinese characters and wine, the close relationship between Chinese characters and wine packaging were analyzed, and the characteristics of Chinese character wine packaging design were found out. Therefore, the Chinese character shaped wine packaging design methods were proposed from the two aspects of Chinese character "font" and "word meaning", which included direct display method, auxiliary integration method, deep expansion method, form meaning method and image construction method. Finally, four key points of Chinese character shaped wine packaging design were summarized.

Background: Patient education and demonstration of osseous defects by teachers and clinicians are difficult even though there are different models made up of metal, plastic, plaster, stone, and acrylic. To overcome such difficulty, 3D printed Vanperio model was printed for multifunctional activity. Aims and Objective: The aim of this article was to provide information on the 3D printed VANPERIO model and its implications in the field of periodontics and general dentistry. Conclusion: Vanperio model proves to be a promising model for teachers, students, and clinicians in the field of periodontics and general dentistry as it helps in patient education, student learning and also for various demonstrations which is not possible to achieve in other available expensive models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature rise caused by the heat generated by the on-board LED driver module during work will lead to the rise of product failure rate. The thermal analysis of this drive module should not only consider the heat and packaging of the LED itself, but also the influence of other power components. Common commercial thermal simulation software, such as ANSYS ICEPAK or FLOTHEM, usually requires detailed thermal models for such printed circuit board (PCB)-level thermal simulation, and requires a large number of simulation parameter settings and a long simulation time to obtain temperature results that are barely close to the actual. In this article, a 3-D finite difference method is proposed to obtain the steady-state temperature field of PCB circuit. The model can be used to calculate the steady-state temperature field of PCB circuit by setting different component sizes, power, and thermal conductivity. This article uses this method to calculate the temperature field of PCB steady-state working with MATLAB. The experimental measurement of PCB is compared with thermal simulation by ANSYS ICEPAK. It proves that the temperature results obtained by this method are similar to the actual test temperature compared with ANSYS ICEPAK. The time required for calculation is greatly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to theoretical models, finite element methods provide greater versatility for dynamic response analyses of rocking bridges, especially when considering the influences of various nonlinear boundary conditions. A finite element modeling method based on fiber section elements for three-dimensional seismic analyses of rocking bridges is developed in this paper. This method solves the problem of energy dissipation and stiffness determination of the rocking interface. Based on the proposed modeling method, considering nonlinear boundary conditions (such as abutment-soil interaction, impact effect, and pile-soil interaction), the seismic responses of rocking bridges, including free rocking, prestressed rocking and prestressed rocking with dampers, under the excitation of three-dimensional ground motions are analyzed. The results show that: after reasonable design, the prestressed rocking bridge with dampers exhibits similar seismic responses to the cast-in-place bridge, and maintains a good self-centering ability. The responses of all the rocking bridges under bi-directional loading are greater than those under unidirectional loading. In contrast, vertical ground motion's influence on the response of the rocking bridges is minimal. Ignoring the pile-soil interaction significantly underestimates the seismic demand of the evaluated bridges, especially the free rocking bridge and rocking bridge with prestressed tendons only. • A finite element model is proposed for rocking bridge under 3D ground motions. • Seismic response of the rocking bridge can be similar to the traditional bridge. • Effect of vertical ground motion on the response of the rocking bridge is minor. • Pile-soil interaction should not be ignored in seismic design of rocking bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent development of cancer treatments, scientists have realized the effect of vasculature in choosing the treatment method and drug delivery to the tumor tissue. Therefore, they seek to develop accurate imaging methods of microvessels inside cancer tissues. To prepare such images, a X-ray micro-Computed Tomography (μCT) and a suitable contrast agent are needed. The aim of this research is to compare new techniques for 3D imaging of microvessels network inside cancer tissues. Materials and Methods: By studying the scientific articles of the last two decades, proposed methods to obtain the desired images have been extracted. Advantages, disadvantages and limitations are discussed. Results: Josef Ehling et al. (2014) show that the combination of functional in vivo and anatomical ex vivo μCT allows highly accurate vessel size and vessel branching of blood volume and highly detailed three-dimensional analysis of the vascular network in tumors. This work has been examined in two types of cancer models (A431 & A549). Ruslan Hlushchuk et al. (2018) describe µAngiofil-enhanced μCT-based visualization of vasculature within different cancerous tissues. µAngiofil is a new polymerizing contrast agent for microangioCT imaging of entire vascular networks. The contrast agent homogeneously fills the entire vasculature and remains elastic enough for long term storage in 2% PFA. The additional autofluorescent properties of the contrast agent that allows for histological analysis and correlative microscopy. Conclusion: μCT with µAngiofil is a new efficient tool to study physiological and pathological changes in microvessels inside tumors. This approach has enabled non-destructive 3D imaging of tumor tissue along with its vascular network. One of the disadvantages of this method is that it is performed on tissues outside the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives To establish the three-dimensional facial soft tissue morphology of adolescent and adult females in the Guangdong population and to study the morphological characteristics of hyperdivergent skeletal class II females in Guangdong compared with that of normodivergent class I groups. Materials and methods The 3dMDface system was used to capture face scans of 160 patients, including 45 normal and 35 hyperdivergent skeletal class II adolescents (aged 11–14 years old) and 45 normal and 35 hyperdivergent skeletal class II adults (aged 18–30 years old). Thirty-two soft tissue landmarks were mapped, and 21 linear, 10 angular and 17 ratio measurements were obtained by 3dMDvultus analysis software. Data were assessed with a t-test of two independent samples between the normal adolescent and adult groups and between the normal and hyperdivergent skeletal class II groups. Results The linear measurements of the Guangdong adult females were larger than those of the adolescents in both Class I and Class II groups. However, the angular and ratio measurements had no significant difference. The vertical linear measurements were higher and the sagittal and transverse linear measurements were smaller in the hyperdivergent class II group (p

Teeth are considered to be the prime organs for mastication, speech, and esthetics. The basic structure of tooth involves enamel, dentin, and pulp. Each of these is formed by specialized structures during the various phases of tooth development. One of such specialized structures forming dentin of the tooth are odontoblasts. Being present at the periphery of the pulp chamber, they are in close contact with dentin through cytoplasmic extensions which travel into the entire length of dentin through dentinal tubules. In addition to dentin formation, they play a vital role in performing the various functions of the tooth including nerve sensation. They are functionally active throughout the life span of a healthy tooth and are subjective to numerous injuries causing various oral lesions. This review aims to collect the information with an additional note on the role of odontoblasts and their characteristics in a healthy and diseased tooth structure, their significance in endodontics and three-dimensional (3D) histological means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-Dimensional (3D) myocardial deformation analysis (3D-MDA) enables novel descriptions of geometry-independent principal strain (PS). Applied to routine 2D cine cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), this provides unique measures of myocardial biomechanics for disease diagnosis and prognostication. However, healthy reference values remain undefined. This study describes age- and sex-stratified reference values from CMR-based 3D-MDA, including 3D PS. One hundred healthy volunteers were prospectively recruited following institutional ethics approval and underwent CMR imaging. 3D-MDA was performed using validated software. Age- and sex-stratified global and segmental strain measures were derived for conventional geometry-dependent [circumferential (CS), longitudinal (LS), and radial (RS)] and geometry-independent [minimum (minPS) and maximum principal (maxPS)] directions of deformation. Layer-specific contraction angle interactions were determined using local minPS vectors. The average age was 43 ± 15 years and 55% were women. Strain measures were higher in women versus men. 3D PS-based assessment of maximum tissue shortening (minPS) and maximum tissue thickening (maxPS) were greater than corresponding geometry-dependent markers of LS and RS, consistent with improved representation of local tissue deformations. Global maxPS amplitude best discriminated both age and sex. Segmental analyses showed greater strain amplitudes in apical segments. Transmural PS contraction angles were higher in females and showed a heterogeneous distribution across segments. In this study we provided age and sex-based reference values for 3D strain from CMR imaging, demonstrating improved capacity for 3D PS to document maximal local tissue deformations and to discriminate age and sex phenotypes. Novel markers of layer-specific strain angles from 3D PS were also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The operative microscope (OM) has revolutionized the field of modern spine surgery, however, it remains limited by several drawbacks. Recently, the exoscope (EX) system has been designed to assistant spine surgery. It provides a three‐dimensional (3D) high‐definition (HD) operative experience and becomes an alternative to the OM. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes, advantages and limitations of EX‐assisted minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (EMIS‐TLIF) and OM‐assisted MIS‐TLIF (OMIS‐TLIF). Methods: The clinical outcomes were assessed in 47 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases (LDD) who underwent MIS‐TLIF assisted with the OM or EX between January 2019 and September 2020. A total of 22 were treated with EMIS‐TLIF, and 25 received OMIS‐TLIF. Perioperative parameters (including sex, age, number of fusion levels and body mass index), perioperative parameters (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, postoperative hospitalization stay, and duration of follow‐up), visual analogue scale (VAS) of back pain, VAS of leg pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores and clinical outcomes were assessed and compared. Image quality, handling of equipment, ergonomics, 3D glasses and educational usefulness were scored according to a questionnaire. Results: Operation time in the OMIS‐TLIF group (121.92 ± 16.92 min) was significantly increased compared with that in the EMIS‐TLIF group (111.00 ± 19.87 min) (P < 0.05). The VAS of the back pain and ODI scores in the EMIS‐TLIF group were significantly lower compared with the OMIS‐TLIF group at 1 week postoperatively (P < 0.05). The good‐excellent outcomes rate was 90.91% in the EMIS‐TLIF group and 88.00% in the OMIS‐TLIF group, and there was no significant difference. A total of 44 visits completed the questionnaire. The results of the questionnaire showed that the EX has exhibited advantages regarding handing of equipment, ergonomics and educational usefulness, and comparable image quality as compared with the OM, however, operating surgeons complained uncomfortable sensation when wearing 3D glasses. Conclusions: The EMIS‐TLIF was a safe and effective procedure in the management of LDD as compared with the OMIS‐LIF. Meanwhile, EMIS‐TLIF might resulted in a short operation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a method that integrates maxillary dental cast and cephalograms and evaluates its accuracy compared with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. The study sample comprised 20 adult patients with records of dental casts, cephalograms, and craniofacial CBCT scans. The maxillary dental cast was integrated with lateral and frontal cephalograms based on best-fit registration of palatal and dental outline curves from dental cast with cephalogram tracings. Linear measurement was conducted to assess the intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility of the proposed integration method using intraclass correlation coefficients; linear and angular measurements were conducted to assess its accuracy with CBCT scans as a standard reference. Paired t test, one sample t test, and mean ± standard deviation of the absolute value of difference were used to compare the integrated images and CBCT. The integration method showed good intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficients > 0.98). The differences in linear and angular measurements between the integrated images and CBCT were not statistically significant but with a large deviation. When absolute value of difference was computed, the linear distance error was 0.51 ± 0.34 mm, the tooth point coordinate errors in X, Y and Z axes were 0.22 ± 0.22, 0.38 ± 0.32 and 0.21 ± 0.21 mm, respectively; the angular error in pitch, roll and yaw of the dental cast was 0.82 ± 0.51, 0.92 ± 0.59 and 0.80 ± 0.41 degree, respectively. The proposed method for integration of dental cast and cephalograms showed good reproducibility and acceptable accuracy compared with CBCT. It could be helpful for researchers to study three-dimensional tooth growth changes using the existing craniofacial growth data especially cephalograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smile appearance has a major psychological impact. Orthognathic surgery, which has harmonizing results on skeletal structures, can negatively influence the smile appearance due to soft tissue effects. To enhance the aesthetic effects of orthognathic surgery on soft tissues, reference models for large parts of the hospital's adherent area are called for. This study aims to create average facial models for different sex and age groups in two facial exercises: maximum closed smile, and pouting. These models were created using coherent point drift and Procrustes algorithms in MATLAB. Principal component analysis was performed, and of 20 surgical landmarks, the in-group variation using standard deviation was calculated. Three distances were analyzed: nasal width, philtral width, and mouth width. To correct for facial size, these distances were analyzed as a ratio of intercanthal width. In total, 328 healthy subjects were included in the study. Subjects were grouped by sex, and in age categories spanning four years each, with an adult group with all ages >16 years. For both smiling and pouting faces, all ratios increased with ageing. These templates and data can benefit facial surgeons, to obtain an expected outcome according to the age of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organoids have been used to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) organization and function of their respective organs. These self-organizing 3D structures offer a distinct advantage over traditional two-dimensional (2D) culture techniques by creating a more physiologically relevant milieu to study complex biological systems. The goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of establishing organoids from various pediatric liver diseases and characterize the long-term evolution of cholangiocyte organoids (chol-orgs) under a single continuous culture condition. We established chol-orgs from 10 different liver conditions and characterized their multicellular organization into complex epithelial structures through budding, merging, and lumen formation. Immunofluorescent staining, electron microscopy, and single-nucleus RNA (snRNA-seq) sequencing confirmed the cholangiocytic nature of the chol-orgs. There were significant cell population differences in the transcript profiles of two-dimensional and organoid cultures based on snRNA-seq. Our study provides an approach for the generation and long-term maintenance of chol-orgs from various pediatric liver diseases under a single continuous culture condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is the property of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, College of Stomatology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The correct diagnosis of placenta previa is a crucial task to prevent associated complications. Ultrasound is considered the gold standard technique. However, the appropriate technique, with 100% sensitivity is not yet determined.The aim of the work: The current study aimed to compare the transabdominal 3D versus transvaginal 2D ultrasound in the assessment of placental invasion in women with placenta previa with previous uterine scar.Patients and Methods: The study included sixty patients with confirmed ultrasound placenta previa. Each patient was evaluated by the full history taking, clinical examination. Finally, ultrasound was performed for all women. The placenta was examined while the bladder is partially full [about 300 ml] for adequate visualization and precise localization. A complete US scan had been performed and included 2D vaginal ultrasound, and 3D abdominal ultrasound. At delivery, intraoperative definitive diagnosis of abnormally invasive placenta was made. Data compared to the previous ultrasound diagnosis.Results: The hematocrit value was significantly decreased after the operation compared to preoperative values [27.16 ± 2.51 vs 30.92 ± 2.78, respectively, p = 0.024]. The sensitivity of 3D transabdominal ultrasound was 53.3%, 65.0%, 88.3% and 73.3% for the detection of retroplacental clear zone, myometrial thinning, uterovesical vascularity and bladder wall interruption, successively. Otherwise, the 2D transvaginal ultrasound sensitivity was 75%, 71.6%, 83.3% and 7.7% for the same conditions. The 3D transabdominal US was 72.5% sensitive, 90% specific, 84.1% PPV, 60.9% NPV and 76.7% accuracy. The 2D transvaginal US revealed 87.4% sensitivity, 73.7% specificity, 93.3% PPV, 41.6% NPV and 89.3% accuracy.Conclusion: 2D vaginal ultrasound is more sensitive compared to the 3-D abdominal sonography in detecting placenta previa. However, the 3D transabdominal US higher sensitivity in detecting some radiological signs of this lesions like uterovesical vascularity.

In this study, on the basis of proportional navigation strategy, design of explicit optimal guidance law for missiles tracking maneuvering targets in three-dimensional space using model predictive control is addressed. The model predictive control employs a model to predict the future process behavior and calculates an optimal control input at each time step through the optimization of an objective function. Generalized model predictive control approach, employed in this study, solves the optimization problem offline to obtain the closed form optimal control law. In this paper, firstly, the equations describing the missile-target relative motion kinematics are formulated. Then, the optimal control law, as an explicit function of the state vector is obtained. The evaluation of the proposed scheme is studied by the comparison of the simulation results with the augmented proportional navigation system. Simulation studies, in three different scenarios, demonstrates appropriate performance for the proposed guidance system specially against maneuvering targets.

Abstract Alkali metal batteries (AMBs) are promising next‐generation high‐density electrochemical energy storage systems. In addition, current collectors play important roles in enhancing their electrochemical performances. Thus, it is essential to have a critical review of the most recent advances in engineering the current collectors for high‐performance AMBs. In this review paper, the fundamentals of alkali metal deposition on current collectors will be introduced first. Then recent advances in the development of advanced metal and carbon‐based current collectors are examined for boosting the stability and cycle life of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) in terms of various strategies including 3D architectural design and functional modifications. Thereafter, the research progress in design of advanced current collectors will be analyzed for sodium/potassium metal batteries, especially the counterparts that do not follow the paradigms established in LMBs. Finally, the major challenges and key perspectives will be discussed for the future development of current collectors in AMBs.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of bimaxillary orthognathic surgery on the short-term soft tissue changes of facial structures using a laser scanner for 3D facial acquisition. Materials and methods: Thirty patients were selected for this study with skeletal class III malocclusion that required bimaxillary orthognathic surgery A Le Fort I maxillary advancement with or without maxillary impaction and a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy were performed. 3D acquisition of the craniofacial structures was obtained by Planmeca ProMax® laser surface scanner, preoperatively and postoperatively after 6 months. Result: These scans were superimposed over each other and was analyzed by the color-coded map. Bimaxillary orthognathic surgery resulted in soft-tissue changes that were maximized in the central parts of the face than in the lateral parts. Conclusion: The color-coded analysis provides a better understanding of the three-dimensional soft tissue changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a three‐dimensional (3D) finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) approach utilizing time‐domain weighted Laguerre polynomials (WLPs) and space‐domain isotropic–dispersion (ID) finite‐difference scheme is presented (i.e., 3D ID‐WLP‐FDTD). The method exhibits unconditional stability and comprehensively improved performance such as lower anisotropic numerical dispersion error. To demonstrate its advantage, it is applied in an example of the propagation of a plane wave in a 3D cavity. The results calculated by the proposed ID‐WLP‐FDTD method and the conventional 3D WLP‐FDTD are compared, which shows that the proposed method can achieve reduced anisotropic numerical dispersion error while consuming less calculation time and hardware resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolation and culturing of cardiac fibroblasts (CF) induces rapid differentiation toward a myofibroblast phenotype, which is partly mediated by the high substrate stiffness of the culture plates. In the present study, a 3D model of Engineered Heart Matrix (EHM) of physiological stiffness (Youngs modulus ~15 kPa) was developed using primary adult rat CF and a natural hydrogel collagen type 1 matrix. CF were equally distributed, viable and quiescent for at least 13 days in EHM and the baseline gene expression of myofibroblast-markers alfa-smooth muscle actin (Acta2), and connective tissue growth factor (Ctgf) was significantly lower, compared to CF cultured in 2D monolayers. CF baseline gene expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (Tgfβ1) and brain natriuretic peptide (Nppb) was higher in EHM-fibers compared to the monolayers. EHM stimulation by 10% cyclic stretch (1 Hz) increased the gene expression of Nppb (3.0-fold), Ctgf (2.1-fold) and Tgfβ1 (2.3-fold) after 24 h. Stimulation of EHM with TGFβ1 (1 ng/mL, 24 h) induced Tgfβ1 (1.6-fold) and Ctgf (1.6-fold). In conclusion, culturing CF in EHM of physiological stiffness reduced myofibroblast marker gene expression, while the CF response to stretch or TGFβ1 was maintained, indicating that our novel EHM structure provides a good physiological model to study CF function and myofibroblast differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene is a nano-allotrope of carbon. It is a two dimensional (2D) one atom thick single layer of sp2 hybridized carbon atoms. An important form of graphene is the three dimensional (3D) graphene, also known as graphene nanofoam. This review article précises progress in the field of 3D graphene-based polymeric nanocomposites. The 3D macroscopic graphene nanostructures when used to reinforce polymer matrices attain superior structural and physical properties. This article considers the design, fabrication, characteristics, and promising applications of polymer/graphene nanofoam nanocomposites. The graphene nanofoam and polymer/graphene nanofoam nanocomposites have been prepared through advance approaches. The microstructure, electrical conductivity, specific capacitance, radiation shielding, mechanical properties, and other physical properties of the polymer/graphene nanofoam architectures have been studied. Interactions between the polymers and 3D graphene architecture are essential to enhance the nanocomposite performance. Polymer/graphene nanofoam nanocomposites applications are for solar cells, fuel cells, supercapacitors, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of rising traumatic accidents and diseases, the number of patients suffering from nerve injury is increasing. Without effective rehabilitation therapy, the patients will get motor or sensory function losses or even a lifelong disability. As for amputees, neural interface technology can be used to splice nerves and electrical wires together in a way that allows them to control an artificial limb as if it was a natural extension of the body. However, the means the need for an autologous nerve to stimulate axonal regeneration and extension into target tissues, which are limited by the supply of donor nerves. Based on the principle of mechanical force regulating axon growth, in this paper, we developed a three-dimensional nerve stretch growth device for an implantable neural interface. The device consists of three motors controlled by single chip microcomputer and some mechanical parts. The stability and reliability of the device were tested. Then, we used neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells by small chemical molecules to explore the optimal three-dimensional stretch culture parameters. Furthermore, we found that the axons were intact through 10 rotations per day and 1 mm of horizontal pulling per day. The results of this research will provide convenience for patients treated through an implantable neural interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major focus of current biological studies is to fill the knowledge gaps between cell, tissue and organism scales. To this end, a wide array of contemporary optical analytical tools enable multiparameter quantitative imaging of live and fixed cells, three-dimensional (3D) systems, tissues, organs and organisms in the context of their complex spatiotemporal biological and molecular features. In particular, the modalities of luminescence lifetime imaging, comprising fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLI) and phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (PLIM), in synergy with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays, provide a wealth of information. On the application side, the luminescence lifetime of endogenous molecules inside cells and tissues, overexpressed fluorescent protein fusion biosensor constructs or probes delivered externally provide molecular insights at multiple scales into protein-protein interaction networks, cellular metabolism, dynamics of molecular oxygen and hypoxia, physiologically important ions, and other physical and physiological parameters. Luminescence lifetime imaging offers a unique window into the physiological and structural environment of cells and tissues, enabling a new level of functional and molecular analysis in addition to providing 3D spatially resolved and longitudinal measurements that can range from microscopic to macroscopic scale. We provide an overview of luminescence lifetime imaging and summarize key biological applications from cells and tissues to organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a three-dimensional (3D) measurement for acetabular fracture displacement, determine the inter- and intra-observer variability, and correlate the measurement with clinical outcome. Three-dimensional models were created for 100 patients surgically treated for acetabular fractures. The '3D gap area', the 3D surface between all the fracture fragments, was developed. The association between the 3D gap area and the risk of conversion to a total hip arthroplasty (THA) was determined by an ROC curve and a Cox regression analysis. The 3D gap area had an excellent inter-observer and intra-observer reliability. The preoperative median 3D gap area for patients without and with a THA was 1731 mm2 versus 2237 mm2. The median postoperative 3D gap area was 640 mm2 versus 845 mm2. The area under the curve was 0.63. The Cox regression analysis showed that a preoperative 3D gap area > 2103 mm2 and a postoperative 3D gap area > 1058 mm2 were independently associated with a 3.0 versus 2.4 times higher risk of conversion to a THA. A 3D assessment of acetabular fractures is feasible, reproducible, and correlates with clinical outcome. Three-dimensional measurements could be added to the current classification systems to quantify the level of fracture displacement and to assess operative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant phenotype has been one of the most important indicators to select and breed superior varieties in modern agriculture. The traditional phenotypic analysis of leafy vegetables cannot fully meet the requirement of large-scale production in recent years, such as the slow speed, large error, and limited dimension. Moreover, most morphological measurements have been currently confined to only several plants (such as maize, cotton and sorghum), particularly with the complex procedure and low automation. Taking the Chinese cabbage sprout as the research object, this study aims to extract the key phenotypic parameters of the plant using the high-throughput reconstruction and automatic segmentation of stem and leaf. Firstly, a multi-view geometry was utilized to reconstruct the three-dimensional model of Chinese cabbage sprout from sequence images. A series of pre-processing operations were used to establish the three-dimensional model of pure plants with the actual scale, including scale recovery, background removal, point cloud denoising, and uniform simplification. Secondly, the stem and leaf organs were automatically segmented using the convexity criterion and random sampling consistency. Thirdly, the principal component analysis and directed bounding box were combined to measure the plant height and width for the phenotypic parameters. The number of leaves was counted by the cluster segmentation of leaf clusters. The shortest path searching was selected to accurately calculate the leaf length and width. A greedy projection triangulation was used to calculate the leaf area. An HSV model and mean color histogram were utilized to measure the color characteristics for distinguishing health status of plants. The classification accuracy, recall, and F1-score were 0.922, 0.938, and 0.930, respectively. Finally, the segmentation experiments were carried out on the six varieties of Chinese cabbage sprouts at different growth stages. A comparison was then made with the ground truth. It was found that the parts belonging to stem and leaf were segmented correctly. The average precision, recall, and F1-score of stem and leaf organ segmentation were 0.961, 0.940 and 0.943 respectively, indicating better performance than the smoothing threshold-based and the color-based region growth. In addition, 50 samples were tested to verify the measurement. A regression analysis was performed between the algorithmic and manual measurements of Chinese cabbage sprout plant traits. The experimental results showed that the determination coefficients of plant height, plant width, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, and leaf number were 0.987, 0.982, 0.984, 0.985, 0.922, and 0.924, respectively. The mean absolute percentage errors were 1.659%, 1.643%, 1.417%, 2.486%, 8.258%, and 6.000%, respectively. Among them, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of plant height, plant width, leaf length, and leaf width were 0.261, 0.313, 0.174, and 0.100 cm, respectively. The RMSE of leaf area and number were 1.608 cm2, and 0.283, respectively. Consequently, the automatic measurement was realized for the seven key phenotypes of Chinese cabbage sprouts, including the plant height, leaf length, and color in lower error. Therefore, the segmentation and measurement can be expected to extract the plant phenotypic parameters with irregular leaf shape, especially in the young leaves of plant canopy, with high efficiency of phenotype extraction. The finding can provide an effective technical means for the efficient and accurate phenotypic analysis of leafy vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Machinery is the property of Food & Machinery Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We conducted a comprehensive review of surgical simulation models used in robotic surgery education. We present an assessment of the validity and cost-effectiveness of virtual and augmented reality simulation, animal, cadaver and synthetic organ models. Face, content, construct, concurrent and predictive validity criteria were applied to each simulation model. There are six major commercial simulation machines available for robot-assisted surgery. The validity of virtual reality (VR) simulation curricula for psychomotor assessment and skill acquisition for the early phase of robotic surgery training has been demonstrated. The widespread adoption of VR simulation has been limited by the high cost of these machines. Live animal and cadavers have been the accepted standard for robotic surgical simulation since it began in the early 2000s. Our review found that there is a lack of evidence in the literature to support the use of animal and cadaver for robotic surgery training. The effectiveness of these models as a training tool is limited by logistical, ethical, financial and infection control issues. The latest evolution in synthetic organ model training for robotic surgery has been driven by new 3D-printing technology. Validated and cost-effective high-fidelity procedural models exist for robotic surgery training in urology. The development of synthetic models for the other specialties is not as mature. Expansion into multiple surgical disciplines and the widespread adoption of synthetic organ models for robotic simulation training will require the ability to engineer scalability for mass production. This would enable a transition in robotic surgical education where digital and synthetic organ models could be used in place of live animals and cadaver training to achieve robotic surgery competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Report of a successful case of endovascular recanalization of an occluded superficial femoral artery (SFA) using Fiber Optic RealShape (FORS) technology. Case Report: A 79-year-old male was referred for evaluation of multiple ischemic pretibial ulcers of the right lower extremity. Computed tomography–angiography (CTA) imaging confirmed significant stenosis of the right common femoral artery (CFA) and an occlusion of the SFA from its origin to the Hunter's canal. The patient was treated with a hybrid surgical procedure: an endarterectomy of the CFA and SFA origin was performed combined with an endovascular recanalization of the occluded SFA using FORS technology. During recanalization, the FORS guidewire slowly twisted subintimally around the occluded lumen of the SFA, maintaining the created corkscrew shape after pre-dilation with the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon and subsequent stenting. Conclusions: FORS technology can be successfully used during recanalization of an occluded SFA without the use of fluoroscopy. The corkscrew shape formed during recanalization in this case was retained during PTA balloon pre-dilation and stenting; this potentially improves hemodynamics and thereby reduces the risk of in-stent restenosis. However, expanding patient series and longer follow-up data are needed to increase the understanding of the feasibility and effectiveness of using FORS in the treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeletal muscle is now regarded as an endocrine organ based on its secretion of myokines and exerkines, which, in response to metabolic stimuli, regulate the crosstalk between the skeletal muscle and other metabolic organs in terms of systemic energy homeostasis. This conceptual basis of skeletal muscle as a metabolically active organ has provided insights into the potential role of physical inactivity and conditions altering muscle quality and quantity in the development of multiple metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes. Therefore, it is important to understand human muscle physiology more deeply in relation to the pathophysiology of metabolic diseases. Since monolayer cell lines or animal models used in conventional research differ from the pathophysiological features of the human body, there is increasing need for more physiologically relevant in vitro models of human skeletal muscle. Here, we introduce recent studies on in vitro models of human skeletal muscle generated from adult myogenic progenitors or pluripotent stem cells and summarize recent progress in the development of three-dimensional (3D) bioartificial muscle, which mimics the physiological complexity of native skeletal muscle tissue in terms of maturation and functionality. We then discuss the future of skeletal muscle 3D-organoid culture technology in the field of metabolic research for studying pathological mechanisms and developing personalized therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topology optimization is at the heart of the design process. With the increasing availability of computational power at cheaper prices the research work in this field has been growing steadily in recent years. Isogeometric analysis using basis splines can be very useful to represent the design domain with good precision. The main focus of this research is to use first-order basis spline functions to represent the design domain in three dimensions and to perform topology optimization and to determine the optimal distribution of material. The principal stresses at the centroid of each element are calculated and compared with the permissible stress of the given material. The nodal displacements are computed at each control point and checked with the permissible displacement for the given material. A few problems from the existing work have been solved using isogeometric topology optimization and shown good agreement with the results obtained using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to provide an overview of current applications of 3D technologies in surgical management of tibial plateau fractures and to assess whether 3D-assisted surgery results in improved clinical outcome as compared to surgery based on conventional imaging modalities. Methods: A literature search was performed in Pubmed and Embase for articles reporting on the use of 3D techniques in operative management of tibial plateau fractures. This systematic review was performed in concordance with the PRISMA-guidelines. Methodological quality and risk of bias was assessed according to the guidelines of the McMaster Critical Appraisal. Differences in terms of operation time, blood loss, fluoroscopy frequency, intra-operative revision rates and patient-reported outcomes between 3D-assisted and conventional surgery were assessed. Data were pooled using the inverse variance weighting method in RevMan. Results: Twenty articles evaluating 948 patients treated with 3D-assisted surgery and 126 patients with conventional surgery were included. Five different concepts of 3D-assisted surgery were identified: '3D virtual visualization', '3D printed hand-held fracture models', 'Pre-contouring of osteosynthesis plates', '3D printed surgical guides', and 'Intra-operative 3D imaging'. 3D-assisted surgery resulted in reduced operation time (104.7 vs. 126.4 min; P < 0.01), less blood loss (241 ml vs. 306 ml; P < 0.01), decreased frequency of fluoroscopy (5.8 vs. 9.1 times; P < 0.01). No differences in functional outcome was found (Hospital for Special Surgery Knee-Rating Scale: 88.6 vs. 82.8; P = 0.23). Conclusions: Five concepts of 3D-assisted surgical management of tibial plateau fractures emerged over the last decade. These include 3D virtual fracture visualization, 3D-printed hand-held fracture models for surgical planning, 3D-printed models for pre-contouring of osteosynthesis plates, 3D-printed surgical guides, and intra-operative 3D imaging. 3D-assisted surgery may have a positive effect on operation time, blood loss, and fluoroscopy frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a three–dimensional (3D) local boundary element model based on meshless moving least squares (MLS) method for ultrasonic wave propagation fractional order boundary value problems of functionally graded anisotropic (FGA) fiber-reinforced plates. The problem domain is split into several circular sub-domains. The nodal points are randomly distributed across the examined region. Each node is the focal point of a circular sub-domain that encircles it. The Laplace-transform approach is used to solve dynamic issues. In the local weak form of the governing equations for the converted quantities, a unit test function is utilized. The Gauss divergence theorem to the weak-form is used to produce local boundary-domain integral equations. A meshless approximation is achieved using the MLS method. To find time-dependent solutions, an inverse Laplace-transform approach is used. The effects of the fractional order parameter, functionally graded material, anisotropy, and the time characteristic of the laser pulse are investigated. The proposed method's validity and performance are demonstrated for a two-dimensional problem with excellent agreement with the finite element method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveThis study's objective is to develop and validate a fast automated 3-D segmentation method for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The segmentation algorithm automatically reconstructs cardiac MRI DICOM data into a 3-D model (i.e., direct volumetric segmentation), without relying on prior statistical knowledge.MethodsA novel 3-D active contour method was employed to detect the left ventricular cavity in 33 subjects with heterogeneous heart diseases from the York University database. Papillary muscles were identified and added to the chamber using a convex hull of the left ventricle and interpolation. The myocardium was then segmented using a similar 3-D segmentation method according to anatomic information. A multistage approach was taken to determine the method's efficacy.ResultsOur method demonstrated a significant improvement in segmentation performance when compared to manual segmentation and other automated methods.Conclusion and significanceA true 3-D reconstruction technique without the need for training datasets or any user-driven segmentation has been developed. In this method, a novel combination of internal and external energy terms for active contour was utilized that exploits histogram matching for improving the segmentation performance. This method takes advantage of full volumetric imaging, does not rely on prior statistical knowledge, and employs a convex-hull interpolation to include the papillary muscles.

Training a deep learning inversion network usually requires hundreds of thousands of complex velocity models, which is labor-intensive and expensive to acquire. In this work, we develop a new framework to automatically generate various velocity models with common geological structures, such as folding layers, faults and salt bodies. There are three main modules in the proposed framework. The first module generates a folded model with a given number of layers; the other two modules can add faults and salt bodies onto the folded model to form a fault or salt model, respectively. To best simulate the shape of subsurface geological structures while ensuring a good application effect in deep learning inversion, we generate the structural model based on composition of several basic functions with recommended parameter ranges. Then the generated structural model will be assigned with velocity values based on assumptions of underground seismic velocity distribution. To investigate the application effect of the generated 3D models, we conduct a deep learning inversion test. Since currently there is no 3D deep learning inversion algorithms available, the latest 2D inversion network called SeisInvNet is used to test the feasibility of the randomly generated velocity models. Through the experiments, we can see that the 2D inversion results are consistent with the true models from the aspects of velocity values and geological structure shapes, which demonstrates the rationality of the designed 3D models. In the end, we further discuss the feasibility of applying the proposed 3D model dataset to train a 3D inversion network. This work paves the way for the development of 3D deep learning inversion methods.

A polarization‐insensitive three‐dimensional (3‐D) microwave absorber is proposed in this letter for ultra‐wideband radar section cross (RCS) reduction. The lossy layer of the designed absorber is evolved from the bent metallic strip with a center‐embedded resistor, which performs the property of absorption‐reflection‐absorption due to its multimode resonances. A short stub with a center‐embedded resistor is connected to the long‐bent strip to abolish the reflection performance, for the sake of achieving wide absorption performance. The fundamental working principle of the designed structure is explained adequately using an intuitive equivalent circuit model. Additionally, the absorber is designed, fabricated, and measured for validation, whose fractional bandwidths is 151.5% with at least 10‐dB RCS reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]