Investigation of the styloid process length in a Greek population

Background: The styloid process (SP) is a slender cylindrical bony projection of the temporal bone with 2 ligaments and 3 muscles attached to it. Symptomatic SP elongation is also referred to, as Eagle’s syndrome. The aim of the present study is to investigate the distribution of the SP length in a young adult Greek population.  Materials and methods: Moreover, we provide a comparison of the results by using two different methods for assessing SP elongation, as described in the lite- rature. Finally, we explore the possibility of using orthopantomograms (OPGs), as a diagnostic aid by investigating inter-examiner, intra-examiner and inter-exami- nation variability and we propose a limit for SP elongation measurable in OPGs.  Results: The sample comprised 805 digital OPGs, taken from student pilots and engineers entering the Hellenic Air Force Academy, from 2008 onwards. Two measuring approaches were selected, one using the temporal bone, as a cranial landmark and the other, using the external auditory meatus. The end tip of the process was always the caudal landmark. The mean SP length was 28.42 ± ± 8.48 mm in males and 26.04 ± 7.69 mm in females, when measured from the temporal bone. The mean SP length was 38.35 ± 8.90 mm in males and 34.24 ± ± 8.63 mm in females, when measured from the external auditory meatus. The length of 30 mm is most commonly used as a starting point for SP elongation. In the total sample, 30.6% of the measured SPs exceeded the length of 30 mm. In males, 33.12% of the SPs were elongated; while in females the corresponding incidence was 20%. One hundred and nineteen (14.8%) SPs were not traceable.  Conclusions: The SP is typically detectable and measurable in OPGs. An elonga- ted SP should be kept in mind, since symptoms of elongation may overlap with clinical manifestations of temporomandibular joint disorders.

Correction to: Two years later: Is the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still having an impact on emergency surgery? An international cross-sectional survey among WSES members

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is still ongoing and a major challenge for health care services worldwide. In the first WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey, a strong negative impact on emergency surgery (ES) had been described already early in the pandemic situation. However, the knowledge is limited about current effects of the pandemic on patient flow through emergency rooms, daily routine and decision making in ES as well as their changes over time during the last two pandemic years. This second WSES COVID-19 emergency surgery survey investigates the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ES during the course of the pandemic. Methods: A web survey had been distributed to medical specialists in ES during a four-week period from January 2022, investigating the impact of the pandemic on patients and septic diseases both requiring ES, structural problems due to the pandemic and time-to-intervention in ES routine. Results: 367 collaborators from 59 countries responded to the survey. The majority indicated that the pandemic still significantly impacts on treatment and outcome of surgical emergency patients (83.1% and 78.5%, respectively). As reasons, the collaborators reported decreased case load in ES (44.7%), but patients presenting with more prolonged and severe diseases, especially concerning perforated appendicitis (62.1%) and diverticulitis (57.5%). Otherwise, approximately 50% of the participants still observe a delay in time-to-intervention in ES compared with the situation before the pandemic. Relevant causes leading to enlarged time-to-intervention in ES during the pandemic are persistent problems with in-hospital logistics, lacks in medical staff as well as operating room and intensive care capacities during the pandemic. This leads not only to the need for triage or transferring of ES patients to other hospitals, reported by 64.0% and 48.8% of the collaborators, respectively, but also to paradigm shifts in treatment modalities to non-operative approaches reported by 67.3% of the participants, especially in uncomplicated appendicitis, cholecystitis and multiple-recurrent diverticulitis. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still significantly impacts on care and outcome of patients in ES. Well-known problems with in-hospital logistics are not sufficiently resolved by now; however, medical staff shortages and reduced capacities have been dramatically aggravated over last two pandemic years

Hydrodynamic Study of a Hybrid Electro-Flotation Column

Bubble columns are used in the mining industry for mineral recovery but are also widely utilized in the chemical and petrochemical industry. The hydrodynamic characteristics of their performance is a field of interest with a number of points, which are nonetheless poorly understood, and a considerable amount of methods have aimed to shed light on the flow regimes that prevail in the columns. The study of the hydrodynamic part of a flotation process should consider characteristics such as air flow, volumetric gas fraction, flow field, and bubble size, along with the mechanical and design factors and pulp properties. The present work aims to elucidate the characteristics of the gas phase of a hybrid flotation system. For this purpose, a hybrid flotation column was designed and constructed and the bubbles size distributions at different radial positions in the flotation column were computed by analyzing high resolution digital images. A patented electrical impedance technique was employed to instantaneously measure the local volumetric gas fraction. Flow dispersion in the column was studied by residence time distributions using conductivity tracers. The experimental results are discussed to comprehend the variation in the gas fraction in the column. In particular, the study showed that the size of the bubbles changed from the center to the walls of the column, and this was observed both radically and vertically. Moreover, the size of the bubbles affected the volume fractions, and no coalescence of the bubbles was observed. Finally, the dispersion of the tracer in the working solution was distributed uniformly in the volume of the column, with a time difference for the four positions of the column

Is the course of the cervicofacial division of the facial nerve consistent with the adjacent vessels?

Abstract Individual facial nerve branching patterns can be difficult to predict. The superficial course of its terminal branches poses them at risk of injury during head and neck surgeries. We report the rare course of a branch of the facial nerve deep into the posterior facial vein

Functionalization of Graphite Oxide with Magnetic Chitosan for the Preparation of a Nanocomposite Dye Adsorbent

In the current study, the functionalization of graphite oxide (GO) with magnetic chitosan (Chm) was investigated to prepare a nanocomposite material (GO–Chm) for the adsorption of a reactive dye (Reactive Black 5). The synthesis mechanism was investigated by various techniques (SEM/EDAX, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, XPS, DTA, DTG, VSM). Characterization results indicated that a significant fraction of the amines of the chitosan (i) were inserted between the GO layers and (ii) reacted with carboxyl and epoxy groups of GO, leading to its reduction and hence the destruction of the layered structure. The concentrations of iron were found to be ∼25% for Chm and ∼12% for GO<b>–</b>Chm. A VSM plot presents the value of 9 emu/g for the saturation magnetization of GO–Chm. The adsorption behavior of the prepared composite was elucidated with a series of experiments. The tests of the effects of pH revealed that the adsorption mechanism dominated (between dye molecules and the GO–Chm matrix) and showed that acidic conditions were the optimum for the adsorption process (pH 3). Kinetic experiments presented the relatively “fast” adsorption phenomenon using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and modified pseudo-second-order equations. The equilibrium data were fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Langmuir–Freundlich (L–F) models, calculating the maximum adsorption capacities at 25, 45, and 65 °C (391, 401, and 425 mg/g, respectively). Thermodynamic analysis was also performed to calculate the changes in free energy (Δ<i>G</i>⁰), enthalpy (Δ<i>H</i>⁰), and entropy (Δ<i>S</i>⁰)

A Survey on Optimizing Mobile Delivery of 360^◦Videos:Edge Caching and Multicasting

Recently, there has been an ever-growing demand for virtual reality (VR) and 360° video applications. Different from conventional 2D videos, 360° videos take users into an immersive experience by providing them with a navigable panoramic view. However, achieving adequate quality of experience (QoE) levels poses significant network challenges, especially in mobile delivery setups. Despite the tremendous improvements offered by 5G and beyond mobile networks, streaming 360° videos in a similar fashion to 2D videos is suboptimal, while scaling at high numbers questions the feasibility of the endeavor. This paper explores the utilization of caching and multicasting solutions for the mobile delivery of VR and 360° videos. First, an overview of immersive technologies and their distinctive characteristics is provided. Then, we discuss the network challenges associated with 360° videos and the role of implementing robust caching and multicasting schemes that exploit the unique features of 360° videos and capitalize on the correlations among end-users’ viewports. Having established the foundations and challenges of 360° video streaming, we continue with a comparison of the state-of-the-art literature, while focusing on video streaming optimization aspects. We conclude our work by discussing the status and future research directions

Improving DOA Estimation via An Optimal Deep Residual Neural Network Classifier On Uniform Linear Arrays

The main objective of this work is to improve and evaluate the effectiveness of the neural network (NN) architecture in the domain of estimation of direction of arrival (DOA), with an emphasis on a multi-class classification task with grid resolutions of 0.25 and 0.1. Specifically, a comprehensive assessment is performed to determine the competence of a residual NN (ResNet) in predicting the angle of arrival (AOA) of intercepted signals. Such signals are received by a 16-element uniform linear array and are subjected to real-world noise conditions. To this end, the superiority of the ResNet architecture in DOA estimations is substantiated through a comparison analysis with two other highly recognized NNs, namely, the feed-forward NN and the convolutional NN. Numerical results indicate that the ResNet model exhibits notable precision in estimating the AOAs, across various classes within a broad spectrum, along with a rapid temporal response. Finally, it remains consistent and maintains its superior performance even for diverse incoming signals and significantly reduced SNRs.</p