Facial Mobility and Recovery in Patients with Unilateral Facial Paralysis

Objective: (a) To quantify longitudinal 3D changes in facial soft tissue movements in adults with unilateral facial paralysis, and (b) to compare the patients’ movements with an age- and sex-frequency matched control group. Settings and Sample Population: Prospective 3D facial movement data of 36 patients and 68 control participants. Patients’ data were collected within 6 weeks of onset of symptoms (baseline) and then at 3 and 12 weeks after baseline. Materials and Methods: The 3D facial movement data were collected during different facial animations. Mean group measurements of displacement, velocity and asymmetry were computed. Two sample t tests were used to test for significant group differences, and linear mixed models were fit to test for significant changes over time in the patient group. Also, 3D dynamic modelling and vector plots were computed to isolate the patients’ abnormal movements and/or paralysis. Results: The patients’ mean baseline movements were significantly less for both the paralysed and contralateral sides of the face with much greater movement asymmetry than the controls. Patients’ mean measures improved significantly from baseline to 12 weeks. The measures were closer to, but fell short of, the control values. Conclusion: In unilateral facial paralysis, the contralateral facial side was affected by the paralysis and may be tethered or limited in its movement by the paralysed side. The comprehensive measurement set and 3D facial mapping effectively tracked patient recovery and isolated paralysed facial regions. The 3D measures can be used for diagnosis and outcome assessment of different treatments.</p

Uncertainty in hydrological signatures for gauged and ungauged catchments

Reliable information about hydrological behavior is needed for water‐resource management and scientific investigations. Hydrological signatures quantify catchment behavior as index values, and can be predicted for ungauged catchments using a regionalization procedure. The prediction reliability is affected by data uncertainties for the gauged catchments used in prediction and by uncertainties in the regionalization procedure. We quantified signature uncertainty stemming from discharge data uncertainty for 43 UK catchments and propagated these uncertainties in signature regionalization, while accounting for regionalization uncertainty with a weighted‐pooling‐group approach. Discharge uncertainty was estimated using Monte Carlo sampling of multiple feasible rating curves. For each sampled rating curve, a discharge time series was calculated and used in deriving the gauged signature uncertainty distribution. We found that the gauged uncertainty varied with signature type, local measurement conditions and catchment behavior, with the highest uncertainties (median relative uncertainty ±30–40% across all catchments) for signatures measuring high‐ and low‐flow magnitude and dynamics. Our regionalization method allowed assessing the role and relative magnitudes of the gauged and regionalized uncertainty sources in shaping the signature uncertainty distributions predicted for catchments treated as ungauged. We found that (1) if the gauged uncertainties were neglected there was a clear risk of overconditioning the regionalization inference, e.g., by attributing catchment differences resulting from gauged uncertainty to differences in catchment behavior, and (2) uncertainty in the regionalization results was lower for signatures measuring flow distribution (e.g., mean flow) than flow dynamics (e.g., autocorrelation), and for average flows (and then high flows) compared to low flows.Key Points:We quantify impact of data uncertainty on signatures and their regionalizationMedian signature uncertainty ±10–40%, and highly variable across catchmentsNeglecting gauging uncertainty causes overconditioning of regionalizationPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137249/1/wrcr21917-sup-0001-2015WR017635-s01.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137249/2/wrcr21917.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137249/3/wrcr21917_am.pd

Thermal effects of a novel picosecond infrared laser during ablation of «ex vivo» soft tissue and bone

Background: Despite significant advances in surgery over the last century, most surgical approaches necessitate cold steel instruments under the control of the surgeon’s hand. Lasers provide a means of precise surgical ablation, but their clinical use has remained limited due to undesired thermal, free-radical producing, or mechanical effects causing significant cellular insult. A novel ultrafast, non-ionizing, picosecond infrared laser (PIRL) system has recently been developed, capable in theory of ablation with negligible thermal or mechanical collateral damage.Objective: The purpose of this work is to provide the reader with an overview of laser-tissue interactions and laser ablation mechanisms in addition to presenting novel experimental data comparing heat generation during ablation of ex vivo porcine skin and chicken bone by conventional microsecond pulsed erbium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser versus PIRL.Methods: Ex vivo porcine skin and chicken bone was ablated with both Er:YAG laser and PIRL at fluence levels above ablation threshold. Temperature rises were determined using infrared thermography and compared using appropriate statistical methods. Ablation craters were assessed by means of digital microscopy.Results: Mean peak rise in skin surface temperature for the Er:YAG laser and PIRL was 15.0°C and 1.68°C, respectively (p < 0.001). Mean peak rise in bone temperature for the Er:YAG laser and PIRL was 12.99°C and 1.56°C, respectively (p < 0.008). Ablation craters appeared similar on digital microscopy.Conclusions: Types of laser ablation include photothermal, photochemical, plasma-mediated, and photomechanical. Material removal resulting from microsecond pulsed Er:YAG laser and PIRL ablation occurs via photothermal vaporization, enhanced by photomechanical effects. The PIRL produces efficient tissue ablation with negligible heat generation due to thermal and acoustic confinement conditions that enhance secondary photomechanical material removal.Introduction: Malgré les avancées significatives dans la chirurgie, les approches chirurgicales nécessitent souvent des instruments en acier froid sous le contrôle de la main du chirurgien. Les lasers offrent un moyen de l'ablation chirurgicale précise, mais leur utilisation en chirurgie reste limitée en raison des effets indésirables thermiques, ionisants, ou mécaniques causant d’insultes cellulaires. Un système laser pulsé ultra-rapide, non-ionisant, infrarouge picoseconde (PIRL) a récemment été développé qui est capable, en théorie, de l'ablation avec les effets négligeables thermiques et acoustiques.Objectif: Le but de ce travail est de fournir au lecteur une vue d'ensemble interactions laser-tissus et des mécanismes d'ablation par laser, en plus de présenter de nouvelles données expérimentales comparant la production de chaleur lors de l'ablation de la peau de porc et l’os de poulet ex vivo par laser pulsé microseconde à l'erbium dopé d'yttrium aluminium garnet (Er: YAG) par rapport au PIRL.Méthodes: La peau de porc et l’os de poulet ex vivo a été ablatée par laser Er :YAG et par PIRL aux niveaux de fluence dessus du seuil d'ablation. Les hausses de température ont été mesurées et comparées à l'aide de méthodes statistiques appropriées. Cratères d'ablation ont été évalués à l'aide de la microscopie numérique.Résultats : Les hausses moyennes des pics de température sur la surface de la peau de cochon pendant l’ablation de laser Er:YAG et PIRL étaient de 15,0°C et de 1,68°C, respectivement (p <0,001). Les hausses moyennes des pics de température osseuse pour l’ablation avec le laser Er: YAG et PIRL était 12,99°C et 1,56°C, respectivement (p <0,008). Cratères d'ablation semblaient similaires à l'aide de la microscopie numérique.Conclusions : Les types d'ablation par laser comprennent photochimique, photomécanique, plasma-médiée, et photomécaniques. L’enlèvement de matière résultant de l’ablation par laser pulsé microseconde Er: YAG et par PIRL se produit par voie photothermique, renforcée par des effets secondaire photomécaniques. Le PIRL produit l’ablation du tissu efficace en raison des conditions de confinement thermique et acoustique qui augmentent l'enlèvement de matière par mécanisme secondaire photomécanique

Coach-athlete relationships and life skills development among Brazilian handball players : A prospective study

This study was to examine the prospective associations between coach-athlete relationship (CAR) and life skills development in youth handball players. This study employed a longitudinal research design. A total of 78 male handball players completed the Life Skills Scale for Sport and the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire over three waves of data collection: start of the season; midseason and end of the season. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance Pearson's Correlation and Linear Multiple Regression (p<.05). The findings indicated the three dimensions of CAR seem to have higher effect on life skills subscales as the season progressed (i.e., higher effect on life skills at T3 compared to T2 and T1). Commitment and Complementarity were positively associated with several life skills subscales at all three timepoints. Results suggest that the quality of the CAR is an important determinant for the development of life skills in youth handball players across the sports season.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo examinar las posibles asociaciones entre la relación entrenador-atleta (CAR) y el desarrollo de habilidades para la vida en jugadores juveniles de balonmano. Este estudio empleó un diseño de investigación longitudinal. Un total de 78 jugadores masculinos de balonmano completaron la Escala de Habilidades para la Vida Deportiva y la Escala de Entrenadores. Cuestionario sobre la relación con los atletas en tres oleadas de recopilación de datos: inicio de la temporada; mitad de temporada y final de temporada. Los datos se analizaron mediante análisis multivariado de varianza, correlación de Pearson y regresión lineal múltiple (p<0,05). Los hallazgos indicaron que las tres dimensiones de CAR parecen tener un mayor efecto en las subescalas de habilidades para la vida a medida que avanzaba la temporada (es decir, un mayor efecto sobre las habilidades para la vida en T3 en comparación con T2 y T1). El compromiso y la complementariedad se asociaron positivamente con varias subescalas de habilidades para la vida en los tres momentos. Los resultados sugieren que la calidad del CAR es un determinante importante para el desarrollo de habilidades para la vida en jugadores juveniles de balonmano a lo largo de la temporada deportiva

Heat Generation During Ablation of Porcine Skin with Erbium:YAG Laser vs a Novel Picosecond Infrared Laser

Importance: Despite significant advances in surgery, most surgical tools remain basic. Lasers provide a means of precise surgical ablation, but their clinical use has remained limited because of undesired thermal, ionizing, or acoustic stress effects leading to tissue injury. A novel ultrafast, nonionizing, picosecond infrared laser (PIRL) system has recently been developed and is capable, in theory, of ablation with negligible thermal or acoustic stress effects.Objective: To measure and compare heat generation by means of thermography during ablation of ex vivo porcine skin by conventional microsecond-pulsed erbium:YAG (Er:YAG) laser and picosecond infrared laser (PIRL).Design and Setting: This study was conducted in an optics laboratory and used a pretest-posttest experimental design comparing 2 methods of laser ablation of tissue with each sample acting as its own control.Intervention: Ex vivo porcine skin was ablated in a 5-mm line pattern with both Er:YAG laser and PIRL at fluence levels marginally above ablation threshold (2 J/cm$^{2}$ and 0.6 J/cm$^{2}$, respectively).Main Outcomes and Measures: Peaks and maxima of skin temperature rises were determined using a thermography camera. Means of peak temperature rises were compared using the paired sample $\mathit{t}$ test. Ablation craters were assessed by means of digital microscopy.Results: Mean peak rise in skin surface temperature for the Er:YAG laser and PIRL was 15.0°C and 1.68°C, respectively (P < .001). Maximum peak rise in skin surface temperature was 18.85°C for the Er:YAG laser and 2.05°C for the PIRL. Ablation craters were confirmed on digital microscopy.Conclusions and Relevance Picosecond infrared laser ablation results in negligible heat generation, considerably less than Er:YAG laser ablation, which confirms the potential of this novel technology in minimizing undesirable thermal injury associated with lasers currently in clinical use

A New Technology for Applanation Free Corneal Trephination: The Picosecond Infrared Laser (PIRL)

The impact of using a Femtosecond laser on final functional results of penetrating kerato-plasty is low. The corneal incisions presented here result from laser ablations with ultrafastdesorption by impulsive vibrational excitation (DIVE). The results of the current study arebased on the first proof-of-principle experiments using a mobile, newly introduced picosec-ond infrared laser system, and indicate that wavelengths in the mid-infrared range centeredat 3 $\mu$m are efficient for obtaining applanation-free deep cuts on porcine corneas