3-D reconstruction by extended depth-of-field in failure analysis - Case study II: Fractal analysis of interlaminar fracture in carbon/epoxy composites

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Extended depth from focus reconstruction using NIH ImageJ plugins: Quality and resolution of elevation maps

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

MRT letter: Extended depth from focus reconstruction method for stretch zone measurement in 15-5PH steel

The stretch zone width (SZW) data for 15-5PH steel CTOD specimens fractured at -150 degrees C to + 23 degrees C temperature were measured based on focused images and 3D maps obtained by extended depth-of-field reconstruction from light microscopy (LM) image stacks. This LM-based method, with a larger lateral resolution, seems to be as effective for quantitative analysis of SZW as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM), permitting to clearly identify stretch zone boundaries. Despite the worst sharpness of focused images, a robust linear correlation was established to fracture toughness (KC) and SZW data for the 15-5PH steel tested specimens, measured at their center region. The method is an alternative to evaluate the boundaries of stretched zones, at a lower cost of implementation and training, since topographic data from elevation maps can be associated with reconstructed image, which summarizes the original contrast and brightness information. Finally, the extended depth-of-field method is presented here as a valuable tool for failure analysis, as a cheaper alternative to investigate rough surfaces or fracture, compared to scanning electron or confocal light microscopes. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:11551158, 2012. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

3-D reconstruction by extended depth-of-field in failure analysis - Case study I: Qualitative fractographic investigation of fractured bolts in a partial valve

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos no meio ambiente: diferenciação de fontes em sedimentos e metabólitos em bile de peixes

Many studies on environmental ecosystems quality related to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been carried out routinely due to their ubiquotus presence worldwide and to their potential toxicity after its biotransformation. PAH may be introduced into the environmet by natural and anthropogenic processes from direct runoff and discharges and indirect atmospheric deposition. Sources of naturally occurring PAHs include natural fires, natural oil seepage and recent biological or diagenetic processes. Anthropogenic sources of PAHs, acute or chronic, are combustion of organic matter (petroleum, coal, wood), waste and releases/spills of petroleum and derivatives (river runoff, sewage outfalls, maritime transport, pipelines). Besides the co-existence of multiples sources of PAH in the environmental samples, these compounds are subject to many processes that lead to geochemical fates (physical-chemical transformation, biodegradation and photo-oxidation), which leads to an alteration of their composition. All these facts make the identification of the hydrocarbons sources, if petrogenic, pyrolytic or natural, a challenge. One of the objectives of this study is to establish tools to identify the origin of hydrocarbons in environmental samples. PAH diagnostic ratios and PAH principal component analysis were tested on a critical area: Guanabara Bay sediments. Guanabara Bay is located in a complex urban area of Rio de Janeiro with a high anthropogenic influence, being an endpoint of chronic pollution from the Greater Rio and it was the scenario of an acute event of oil release in January 2000. It were quantified 38 compounds, parental and alkylated PAH, in 21 sediment samples collected in two surveys: 2000 and 2003. The PAH levels varied from 400 to 58439 ng g-1. Both tested techniques for origin identification of hydrocarbons have shown their applicability, being able to discriminate the PAH sources for the majority of the samples analysed. The bay sediments were separated into two big clusters: sediments with a clear pattern of petrogenic introduction of hydrocarbons (from intertidal area) and sediments with combustion characteristics (from subtidal region). Only a minority of the samples could not display a clear contribution of petrogenic or pyrolytic input. The diagnostic ratios that have exhibited high ability to distinguish combustion- and petroleum-derived PAH inputs for Guanabara Bay sediments were Phenanthrene+Anthracene/(Phenanthrene+Anthracene+C1Phenanthrene); Fluorantene/(Fluorantene+Pyrene); Σ (other 3-6 ring PAHs)/ Σ (5 alkylated PAH series). The PCA results prooved to be a useful tool for PAH source identification in the environment, corroborating the diagnostic indexes. In relation to the temporal evaluation carried out in this study, it was not verified significant changes on the class of predominant source of the samples. This result indicates that the hydrocarbons present in the Guanabara Bay sediments are mainly related to the long-term anthropogenic input and not directly related to acute events such as the oil spill of January 2000. This findings were similar to various international estuarine sites. Finally, this work had a complementary objective of evaluating the level of hydrocarbons exposure of the aquatic organisms of Guanabara Bay. It was a preliminary study in which a quantification of 12 individual biliar metabolites of PAH was performed in four demersal fish representing three different families. The analysed metabolites were 1-hydroxynaphtalene, 2-hidroxinaphtalene, 1hydroxyphenanthrene, 9-hydroxyphenanthrene, 2-hydroxyphenanthrene, 1hydroxypyrene, 3-hidroxibiphenil, 3- hydroxyphenanthrene, 1-hydroxychrysene, 9hydroxyfluorene, 4-hydroxyphenanthrene, 3-hydroxybenz(a)pyrene. The metabolites concentrations were found to be high, ranging from 13 to 177 µg g-1, however they were similar to worldwide regions under high anthropogenic input. Besides the metabolites established by the used protocol, it was possible to verified high concentrations of three other compounds not yet reported in the literature. They were related to pyrolytic PAH contribution to Guanabara Bay aquatic biota: 1-hydroxypyrine and 3-hydroxybenz(a)pyrine isomers

Gel and porous polyethylene implants for anophthalmic cavity reconstruction-evaluation using the B scan ultrasound

AIM: To evaluate the host response of the gel and porous polyethylene implants in anophthalmic cavities using the B scan ultrasound.METHODS: Thirty-six white rabbits underwent unilateral enucleation with placement of gel or porous polyethylene spheres implants. The animals were submitted to clinical examination weekly and to ultrasound evaluation on 30, 60 and 90 days after surgery.RESULTS: All rabbits with gel polyethylene spheres, except one, showed implant extrusion probably because the gel spheres have hydrated and increased in volume. The B ultrasound of the gel polyethylene implant did not show vessels inside during the following period. Five animals (27.8%) with porous polyethylene spheres presented implant extrusion after 30 days of surgery. According to B ultrasound, the porous polyethylene implant showed irregular and heterogeneous architecture and reflective peaks similar to vascularized tissues.CONCLUSION: More studies are required to determine the ideal volume of gel polyethylene implant necessary to correct the diminished orbital content in the anophthalmic cavity. The B ultrasound effectiveness showed in this study for anophthalmic socket implants evaluation provides useful information for further in vivo studies and might substitute expensive methods of implants vascularization evaluation,

Urethral reconstruction after total penectomy for urethral cancer

A 59-year-old white man developed a ventral ulcer with irregular limits in the middle portion of the penis. The result of the pathologic analysis was compatible with invasive squamous cell urethral carcinoma. A total penectomy was performed. In these cases, the usually recommended urinary diversion is perineal urethrostomy. However, due to the specifications of the case, perineal urethrostomy could not be performed. The literature did not offer any other alternative for patients with this same condition. Therefore, a urethral reconstruction using a groin skin flap had to be performed. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Use of Titanium Mesh for Reconstruction of Extensive Defects in Fronto-orbito-ethmoidal Fracture

Traumatic injuries treatment of the fronto-naso-orbito-ethmoidal region has been one of the most challenging treatments within maxillofacial surgery, particularly of extensive orbital defects, very common in this type of pathologic condition. A 48-year-old man involved in a car collision presented an extensive bilateral fracture of the orbit medial wall, nasal bones, the nasal septum, and the frontal anterior table. The clinical and tomographic findings concluded the diagnosis of a maxilla and fronto-naso-orbito-ethmoidal fracture. Among the variety of biomaterials, the titanium mesh was elected because of the extension and magnitude of the bone defect, obtaining this way esthetic and functional results with better prognosis.

Use of 4 Immediately Loaded Zygomatic Fixtures for Retreatment of Atrophic Edentulous Maxilla After Complications of Maxillary Reconstruction

This article reports the 20-month clinical outcome of the use of 4 zygomatic implants with immediate occlusal loading and reverse planning for the retreatment of atrophic edentulous maxilla after failed rehabilitation with autogenous bone graft reconstruction and maxillary implants. The intraoral clinical examination revealed mispositioned and loosened implants underneath a maxillary complete denture. The panoramic radiograph showed 6 maxillary implants. One implant was displaced into the right maxillary sinus, and the implant anchored in the region of tooth 21 was fractured. The other implants presented peri-implant bone loss. The implants anchored in the regions of teeth 21 to 23 and 11 to 13 were first removed. After 2 months, the reverse planning started with placement of 4 zygomatic fixtures, removal of the implants migrated into the sinus cavity and anchored in the region of tooth 17, and installation of a fixed denture. After 20 months of follow-up, no painful symptoms, peri-implant inflammation or infection, implant instability, or bone resorption was observed. The outcomes of this case confirm that the zygoma can offer a predictable anchorage and support function for a fixed denture in severely resorbed maxillae.

Maxillary Bone Defect Reconstruction Using Porous Polyethylene Implants

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the bone repair process in the maxillary sinus in monkeys treated with high-density porous polyethylene (Medpor)Methods: Four capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were submitted to bilateral horizontal osteotomies in the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus and divided into 2 groups: control group, left side with no implants, and porous polyethylene group, right side with Medpor. After a period of 145 days after implant placement, the maxillae were removed for histologic and histometric analyses.Results: Bone repair in osteotomized areas took place by connective tissue in 58.5% and 58.7% in the control group and the porous polyethylene group, respectively. In the contact surface with Medpor, bone repair occurred in 41.3%.Conclusions: Medpor was not reabsorbed within the period of this study and allowed bone repair surrounding it. The porous polyethylene constitutes a feasible alternative for bone defect reconstruction.

Patients' Satisfaction After Surgical Facial Reconstruction or After Rehabilitation With Maxillofacial Prosthesis

The matching of the aesthetic, functional, and psychosocial results of a facial deformity may produce devastating effects in its carriers, especially if the lesion is extensive or the treatment is aggressive. Because of this, the objective of the present article was to evaluate patient's satisfaction rating after surgical facial reconstruction or rehabilitation with oral and maxillofacial prosthesis, by means of reviewing the literature.

Most Frequent Tumors in Maxillofacial Area Rehabilitated Through Surgical Reconstruction and Prostheses

Cancer is regarded as the abnormal cellular multiplication; it is not controlled by the organism; and its cells present a differentiated DNA. Initially, the disease does not show clinical signs, but it can be diagnosed by laboratorial examinations. When tumors are present in the maxillofacial area, they can entail the loss of these area organs, which become responsible for the carrier's social environment exclusion. This paper aimed at showing, through a literature review, the cancers that more commonly happen in the face and the possibilities of regenerating in the patient mutilated through surgical reconstruction and prostheses.

Reconstruction of Skull Defects: Currently Available Materials

The restoration and recovery of a compromised skull continues to be a challenge to craniofacial surgeons and neurosurgeons. Different operative techniques and implant materials are being used to reconstruct the rigid framework of the skull. However, no currently available materials satisfy all of these criteria. According to this premise, the aim of this study was to report on the currently available materials for the reconstruction of the cranial vault and to describe their main characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Although the use of the materials discussed in this study is clearly positive for the reconstruction of skull defects and cranioplasties, there is a need for more complex studies and research into developing these materials to achieve all the ideal prerequisites stipulated by the scientific community and to evaluate their properties and aesthetic and functional results in the long term.

Management of Orbital Reconstruction

One of the concerns after a major trauma to the orbit is to be rebuilt. This can be achieved with care in management of orbital reconstruction, techniques, types of materials, and osseointegrated implants; it allows satisfactory aesthetic recuperation and well-being, whereas psychological therapy allows for patients' re-insertion in social and family environment to make them feel happier and safer.