Fully automated identification of cephalometric landmarks for upper airway assessment using cascaded convolutional neural networks.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of a cascaded two-stage convolutional neural network (CNN) model in detecting upper airway (UA) soft tissue landmarks in comparison with the skeletal landmarks on the lateral cephalometric images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dataset contained 600 lateral cephalograms of adult orthodontic patients, and the ground-truth positions of 16 landmarks (7 skeletal and 9 UA landmarks) were obtained from 500 learning dataset. We trained a UNet with EfficientNetB0 model through the region of interest-centred circular segmentation labelling process. Mean distance errors (MDEs, mm) of the CNN algorithm was compared with those from human examiners. Successful detection rates (SDRs, per cent) assessed within 1-4 mm precision ranges were compared between skeletal and UA landmarks. RESULTS: The proposed model achieved MDEs of 0.80 ± 0.55 mm for skeletal landmarks and 1.78 ± 1.21 mm for UA landmarks. The mean SDRs for UA landmarks were 72.22 per cent for 2 mm range, and 92.78 per cent for 4 mm range, contrasted with those for skeletal landmarks amounting to 93.43 and 98.71 per cent, respectively. As compared with mean interexaminer difference, however, this model showed higher detection accuracies for geometrically constructed UA landmarks on the nasopharynx (AD2 and Ss), while lower accuracies for anatomically located UA landmarks on the tongue (Td) and soft palate (Sb and St). CONCLUSION: The proposed CNN model suggests the availability of an automated cephalometric UA assessment to be integrated with dentoskeletal and facial analysis.

Arthroscopic Reduction and Suture Bridge Fixation of a Large Displaced Greater Tuberosity Fracture of the Humerus.

Arthroscopic fixation of a greater tuberosity (GT) avulsion fracture by suture bridge repair has been described in several articles. However, all of them have used arthroscopic fixation of a small sized GT fracture fragment or have not used purely arthroscopic techniques. In this Technical Note, the authors describe another technique for large displaced GT fracture fixation by arthroscopy only, without any metal fixation. Standard anterior, posterior, lateral, and posterolateral viewing portals are established with an accessory portal for suture anchor insertion. During intra-articular examination, an anteroinferior capsulolabral tear, upper one-third subscapularis tendon tear, and posterosuperior displaced bony fragment are detected. A subscapularis tendon was repaired by a single-row technique. After repair, medial row anchors are inserted into the bare area of infraspinatus tendon and the posterior edge of supraspinatus tendon. A 1-PDS suture is used to pass strands of fiberwire. As with the remplissage procedure, the fiberwire was passed with an 18-gauge needle. Following the acromioplasty, the medial row tightening was done by reducing the fracture fragment. After that, the lateral row anchor was inserted into the bicipital groove, completing the suture bridge technique. This technique can effectively treat other pathologies, has less radiation hazard, and results in fewer soft tissue injuries.

Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Plate Osteosynthesis via a Deltoidsplitting Approach with Strut Allograft for the Treatment of Displaced 3- or 4-part Proximal Humeral Fractures.

BACKGROUND: This study introduces a surgical technique with good clinical outcome useful in the treatment of osteoporotic displaced 3- or 4-part proximal humeral fractures. METHODS: From May 2014 to February 2016, 16 patients with displaced 3- or 4-part proximal humeral fractures were treated by application of a locking plate with an endosteal strut allograft via a deltoid splitting approach with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. The allograft was inserted through a fractured gap of the greater tuberosity to support the humeral head and then fixed by a locking plate with meticulous soft tissue dissection to protect the axillary nerve. Surgical outcomes were evaluated by the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, radiological imaging, and clinical examination. Fixation failure on radiographs was defined as a >5° loss of neck shaft angle (NSA) compared to that on an immediate postoperative radiograph. Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the humeral head was also evaluated. RESULTS: In all cases, complete union was achieved. The ASES and VAS scores were improved to 85.4 ± 2.1 and 3.2 ± 1.3, respectively. Twelve patients (75.0%) had greater than a 5° change in NSA; the average NSA change was 3.8°. Five patients (31.3%) had unsatisfactory ranges of motion exhibiting a <100° active forward flexion. No axillary nerve injuries or AVN were observed at the last follow-up. One patient was converted to reverse total arthroplasty due to severe pain and functional deficit. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive fixation via a locking compression plate and an endosteal fibula strut allograft in Neer classification 3-or 4-part fractures with severe osteoporosis in elderly patients can achieve good clinical results.

Coil embolization of ruptured intrahepatic pseudoaneurysm through percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.

A 75-year-old man with chronic cholangitis and a common bile duct stone that was not previously identified was admitted for right upper quadrant pain. Acute cholecystitis with cholangitis was suspected on abdominal computed tomography (CT); therefore, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with endonasal biliary drainage was performed. On admission day 5, hemobilia with rupture of two intrahepatic artery pseudoaneurysms was observed on follow-up abdominal CT. Coil embolization of the pseudoaneurysms was conducted using percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. After several days, intrahepatic artery pseudoaneurysm rupture recurred and coil embolization through a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage tract was conducted after failure of embolization via the hepatic artery due to previous coiling. After the second coil embolization, a common bile duct stone was removed, and the patient presented no complications during 4 months of follow-up. We report a case of intrahepatic artery pseudoaneurysm rupture without prior history of intervention involving the hepatobiliary system that was successfully managed using coil embolization through percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.

The Relationship between Superior Disc-Endplate Complex Injury and Correction Loss in Young Adult Patients with Thoracolumbar Stable Burst Fracture.

BACKGROUND: To determine the relationship between superior disc-endplate complex injury and correction loss after surgery in a group of young adult patients with a stable thoracolumbar burst fracture. METHODS: The study group was comprised of young adult patients who had undergone short-segment posterior fixation and bone grafting under the diagnosis of a stable thoracolumbar burst fracture from March 2008 to February 2014. Follow-up was available for more than 1 year. Before surgery, magnetic resonance imaging was performed to determine injury to the anterior longitudinal ligament, posterior longitudinal ligament, and superior and inferior intervertebral discs and endplates. Correction loss was evaluated by the Cobb angle, intervertebral disc height, upper intervertebral disc angle, vertebral wedge angle, and vertebral body height. RESULTS: No significant relation was noted between correction loss and an injury to the anterior longitudinal ligament, posterior longitudinal ligament, inferior intervertebral disc/endplate, and fracture site, whereas an injury to the superior endplate alone and superior disc-endplate complex showed a significant association. Specifically, a superior intervertebral disc-endplate complex injury showed statistically significant relation to postoperative changes in Cobb angle (p = 0.026) and vertebral wedge angle (p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: A superior intervertebral disc-endplate complex injury may have an influence on the prognosis after short-segment fixation in young adult patients with a stable thoracolumbar burst fracture.

Effect of far-infrared radiation on the antioxidant activity of rice hulls.

After far-infrared (FIR) radiation onto rice hull, a methanolic extract was prepared for the determination of antioxidant ability. After 30 min of FIR treatment, the radical scavenging activity and total phenol contents of rice hull extracts increased from 47.74 to 79.63% and from 0.12 to 0.19 mM, respectively, compared to control. Inhibition of lipid peroxidation in extracts was also increased from 41.07 to 47.96%. According to the GC-MS analysis, more phenolic compounds (p-coumaric acid, 3-vinyl-1-oxybenzene, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and 4,7-dihydroxyvanillic acid) were detected in FIR-irradiated rice hull extract. These results indicated that FIR radiation onto rice hull could liberate and activate covalently bound phenolic compounds that have antioxidant activities.

Effect of heat treatment on the antioxidant activity of extracts from citrus peels.

The effect of heat treatment on the antioxidant activity of extracts from Citrus unshiu peels was evaluated. Citrus peels (CP) (5 g) were placed in Pyrex Petri dishes (8.0 cm diameter) and heat-treated at 50, 100, or 150 degrees C for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min in an electric muffle furnace. After heat treatment, 70% ethanol extract (EE) and water extract (WE) (0.1 g/10 mL) of CP were prepared, and total phenol contents (TPC), radical scavenging activity (RSA), and reducing power of the extracts were determined. The antioxidant activities of CP extracts increased as heating temperature increased. For example, heat treatment of CP at 150 degrees C for 60 min increased the TPC, RSA, and reducing power of EE from 71.8 to 171.0 microM, from 29.64 to 64.25%, and from 0.45 to 0.82, respectively, compared to non-heat-treated control. In the case of WE from CP heat-treated at the same conditions (150 degrees C for 60 min), the TPC, RSA, and reducing power also increased from 84.4 to 204.9 microM, from 15.81 to 58.26%, and from 0.27 to 0.96, respectively. Several low molecular weight phenolic compounds such as 2,3-diacetyl-1-phenylnaphthalene, ferulic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldoxime, 5-hydroxyvaleric acid, 2,3-diacetyl-1-phenylnaphthalene, and vanillic acid were newly formed in the CP heated at 150 degrees C for 30 min. These results indicated that the antioxidant activity of CP extracts was significantly affected by heating temperature and duration of treatment on CP and that the heating process can be used as a tool for increasing the antioxidant activity of CP.