Is Breast Asymmetry Present in Girls with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?

Study Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Objectives To characterize breast asymmetry (BA), as defined by breast volume difference, in girls with significant adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Summary and Background BA is a frequent concern among girls with AIS. It is commonly believed that this results from chest wall deformity. Although many women exhibit physiological BA, the prevalence is not known in adolescents and it remains unclear if it is more frequent in AIS. Breasts vary in shape and size and many ways of measuring them have been explored. MRI shows the highest precision at defining breast tissue. Methods Thirty patients were enrolled on the basis of their thoracic curvature, skeletal and breast maturity, without regard to their perception on their BA. MRI acquisitions were performed in prone with a 1.5-Tesla system using a 16-channel breast coil. Segmentation was achieved using the ITK-SNAP 2.4.0 software and subsequently manually refined. Results The mean left breast volume (528.32 ± 205.96 cc) was greater compared with the mean right breast volume (495.18 ± 170.16 cc) with a significant difference between them. The mean BA was found to be 8.32% ± 6.43% (p < .0001). A weak positive correlation was observed between BA and thoracic Cobb angle (0.177, p = .349) as well as thoracic gibbosity angle (0.289, p = .122). The left breast was consistently larger in 65.5% of the patients. Twenty patients (66.7%) displayed BA ≥5%. Conclusions We have described BA in patients with significant AIS using MRI. This method is feasible, objective, and very precise. The majority of patients had a larger left breast, which could compound the apparent BA secondary to trunk rotation. In many cases, BA is present independently of thoracic deformity. This knowledge will assist in counseling AIS patients in regards to their concerns with BA.CIHR / IRS

Code and its image: the functions of text and visualisation in a code-based design studio

Traditionally, design learning in the architecture studio has taken place through a combination of individual work and joint projects. The introduction of code-based design practices in the design studio has altered this balance, introducing new models of joint authorship and new ways for individuals to contribute to co-authored projects. This paper presents a case study describing four design studios in a higher education setting that used code as a tool for generating architectural geometry. The format of the studios encouraged the students to reflect critically on their role as authors and to creatively address the multiple opportunities for shared authorship available with code-based production. The research question addressed in this study involved the role of code-based practices in altering the model of architectural education in the design studio, in particular the role of visual representations of a code-based design process in the production of shared knowledge

Re-Animating Greg Lynn's Embryological House: A Case Study in Digital Design Preservation

Greg Lynn's Embryological House was an early work of digital architecture: a work in which the computer was a fundamental part of the design process. It was the subject of a case study in digital preservation by the Daniel Langlois Foundation's project for the Documentation and Conservation of Media Arts Heritage (DOCAM) and the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA). Research identified characteristics of digital architectural artifacts that are key to their long-term preservation. The results imply a shift in the focus of preservation from the artifact to its transformation in a digital context and a re-evaluation of preservation strategies and principles

Parametric scripting for early design performance simulation

This paper discusses the advantages of using a coding interface both to describe form and run performance simulations in the context of architectural design. It outlines the relevance of combining recent interest in the design community for parametric scripting with available expert-level Building Performance Simulation. This approach enables designers to address performance-related design questions at the early design stage. Pitfalls when considering non-standard solutions and the potential of the approach to circumvent such difficulties are exemplified through a housing building case study, emphasizing the under-evaluated role of the analysis tool in steering design decisions. To circumvent the difficulty for non-expert users to interpret simulation results and transform them into design moves, the use of sensitivity analysis is proposed for its specific interplay with parametric scripting. Its potential for classifying parameters in order of importance is presented in the context of a design problem. The contribution outlines how providing designers with exploratory tools allows to consider sustainable construction in a systemic manner. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved