Photographic assessment of nasal morphology following rapid maxillary expansion in children

Objective: The aim of the present study was to use facial analysis to determine the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on nasal morphology in children in the stages of primary and mixed dentition, with posterior cross-bite. Material and Methods: Facial photographs (front view and profile) of 60 patients in the pre-expansion period, immediate post-expansion period and one year following rapid maxillary expansion with a Haas appliance were evaluated on 2 occasions by 3 experienced orthodontists independently, with a 2-week interval between evaluations. The examiners were instructed to assess nasal morphology and had no knowledge regarding the content of the study. Intraexanniner and interexanniner agreement (assessed using the Kappa statistic) was acceptable. Results: From the analysis of the mode of the examiners' findings, no alterations in nasal morphology occurred regarding the following aspects: dorsunn of nose, alar base, nasal width of middle third and nasal base. Alterations were only detected in the nasolabial angle in 1.64% of the patients between the pre-expansion and immediate post-expansion photographs. In 4.92% of the patients between the immediate post-expansion period and 1 year following expansion; and in 6.56% of the patients between the pre-expansion period and one year following expansion. Conclusion: RME performed on children in stages of primary and mixed dentition did not have any impact on nasal morphology, as assessed using facial analysis.

SEMICLASSICAL VIOLATION of THE EQUIVALENCE PRINCIPLE IN THE GRAVITATIONAL LENSES REALM

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The Perception of Smile Attractiveness Variations from Esthetic Norms, Photographic Framing and Order of Presentation

Objectives: To evaluate the attractiveness of a smile according to variations from esthetic norms, photographic framing, and the order of the presentation of photographs.Materials and Methods: A photograph of an individual was selected and digitally manipulated to create the following smiles: an ideal control smile (I), a smile with diastema (D1), a smile with midline deviation (LM3), a smile with deviation from the long axes of the lateral incisors (10D), and a smile with an inverted smile arc (LSRV). The manipulated photographs were developed in framings of the face and of the mouth and evaluated by 20 laypeople. For half the evaluators, the presentation started with facial photographs and, for the other half, the presentation began with the mouth shots. Evaluators were asked to rank the photographs from the least to the most attractive; then, each photograph was awarded a mark (scale of 0.0 to 10.0).Results: In both presentations, the smiles I, LM3, 10D, and LSRV received favorable ratings, whereas the D1 smile got poor ratings. The photographic framings used (face vs mouth) and the order of presentation of the photographs did not influence the rankings.Conclusion: The absence of variations from beauty norms of a smile has a positive impact on its esthetic perception, but variations from the norms do not necessarily result in reduced attractiveness. (Angle Orthod. 2009;79:634-639.)

Optical modeling of aspherical lenses: a human eye study

We have been developing a computational code to project optical lenses, with low aberration effects. Our main interest is model the human eye, particularly, project special corrective lenses. As the lens shape is the focus of the optimization, we have coupled a ray tracing method with Monte Carlo techniques. The initial results indicated that the algorithm must be improved in terms of resolution and reliability.

Measurement of low-derivative surface lenses by two-laser holography with Bi12TiO20 crystals

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Longitudinal photographic observation of the occurrence of bubbles in pit and fissure sealants

The purpose of this study was to employ photographic evaluation to observe the presence or absence of bubbles in pit and fissure sealants Concise and Prisma Shield, at 7 days, 18 months, 36 months and 11 years after accomplishment of treatment. Methods: A hematoxylin-based staining solution was applied to the occlusal surface at the study periods, which allowed assessment of the sealing material on the surface. All occlusal surfaces were photographed and the photographs corresponding to each period were subjected to photographic evaluation. Results: There was statistically significant difference only at 18 months, with a significantly higher number of specimens with bubbles for the Prisma Shield sealant compared to the Concise, whereas the groups were similar at all other study periods. On the other hand, separate analysis of subsequent periods of the sealants did not reveal any significant difference. Conclusions: According to the results of the present longitudinal investigation, it may be concluded that the sealing materials showed that bubbles came into and went out with time. However, this fact did not interfere with its clinical purpose, provided the remaining material covers the expected region of pits and fissures.

Evaluation of a photographic method to measure dental angulation

Objetivo: analisar a confiabilidade e reprodutibilidade de um método simplificado para análise da angulação dentária que faz uso de fotografias digitalizadas de modelos de gesso. Métodos: foram realizadas fotografias digitalizadas e padronizadas de modelos de gesso, posteriormente transportadas para um programa gráfico de leitura de ângulos, para a obtenção das medidas. Tais procedimentos foram repetidos para avaliação do erro do método casual e para a análise da reprodutibilidade por meio da Correlação Intraclasse. A amostra constituiu-se de 12 indivíduos com dentição permanente completa e não tratados ortodonticamente, sendo seis do sexo masculino e seis do feminino. As análises foram feitas bilateralmente, gerando 24 medidas. Resultados: o erro casual mostrou uma variação de 0,77 a 2,55º para a angulação dos dentes. A análise estatística revelou que o método apresenta uma excelente reprodutibilidade (r = 0,65 - 0,91; p < 0,0001) para todos os dentes, exceto para os pré-molares superiores, mas ainda assim estatisticamente significativa (p < 0,001). Conclusão: o método proposto apresenta confiabilidade suficiente para justificar seu uso no desenvolvimento de pesquisas científicas, bem como na prática clínica.

Photographic assessment of cephalometric measurements

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

Evaluation of dental restorations: a comparative study between clinical and digital photographic assessments

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of a direct clinical evaluation method with an indirect digital photographic method in assessing the quality of dental restorations. Seven parameters (color, occlusal marginal adaptation, anatomy form, roughness, occlusal marginal stain, luster, and secondary caries) were assessed in 89 Class I and Class II restorations from 36 adults using the modified US Public Health Service/Ryge criteria. Standardized photographs of the same restorations were digitally processed by Adobe Photoshop software, separated into the following four groups and assessed by two calibrated examiners: Group A: The original photograph displayed at 100%, without modifications (IMG100); Group B: Formed by images enlarged at 150% (IMG150); Group C: Formed by digital photographs displayed at 100% (mIMG100), with digital modifications (levels adjustment, shadow and highlight correction, color balance, unsharp Mask); and Group D: Formed by enlarged photographs displayed at 150% with modifications (mIMG150), with the same adjustments made to Group C. Photographs were assessed on a calibrated screen (Macbook) by two calibrated clinicians, and the results were statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon tests (SSPS 11.5) at 95% CI. Results: The photographic method produced higher reliability levels than the direct clinical method in all parameters. The evaluation of digital images is more consistent with clinical assessment when restorations present some moderate defect (Bravo) and less consistent when restorations are clinically classified as either satisfactory (Alpha) or in cases of severe defects (Charlie). Conclusion: The digital photographic method is a useful tool for assessing the quality of dental restorations, providing information that goes unnoticed with the visual-tactile clinical examination method. Additionally, when analyzing restorations using the Ryge modified criteria, the digital photographic method reveals a significant increase of defects compared to those clinically observed with the naked eye. Photography by itself, without the need for enlargement or correction, provides more information than clinical examination and can lead to unnecessary overtreatment.

Clinical/photographic evaluation of a single application of two sealants after eleven years

The clinical behavior of Concise and Prisma Shield sealants for pit and fissure was analyzed by clinical/photographic evaluation. A hematoxylin-based staining solution was applied to the occlusal surface 7 days, 18 months, 36 months, and 11 years after the occlusal sealing, thus allowing the sealant material on the surface to be checked. At each analysis time, each occlusal surface was photographed, and the photographs corresponding to each time were submitted to clinical/photographic evaluation. Although the sealant materials showed marginal alterations over time, they did not require reapplication because the region composed of the pit and fissure remained covered.

PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS — THEIR IMPORTANCE IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE BIRD MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

We are living in a day of change. Environmental awareness is a part of our everyday life in a way unprecedented in history. The courts, in their infinite wisdom, have initiated the joint and several liability (deep pocket) rules that make everyone at risk in almost all situations. Bird management programs, by their very nature, are extremely sensitive. Any project, if not evaluated, planned, carried out, and documented properly can result in adverse regulatory agency action, bad publicity, and even fines or lawsuits. Proper photographic documentation can play a vital part in helping to provide the necessary records to help prevent problems and/or defend yourself in case of lawsuit or regulatory action. In the preparation of this paper, we surveyed state pesticide lead agencies, state Department of Conservation (Fish and Wildlife) agencies, some U.S. Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement personnel, and several individuals to get their reaction to and their comments about this concept of supplemental recordkeeping. Of those responding, a majority thought the concept of supplemental photographic recordkeeping would be an asset to individuals and organi¬zations conducting bird management projects.

Focusing surface plasmons on Er3+ ions through gold planar plasmonic lenses

Gold plasmonic lenses consisting of a planar concentric rings-groove with different periods were milled with a focused gallium ion beam on a gold thin film deposited onto an Er3+-doped tellurite glass. The plasmonic lenses were vertically illuminated with an argon ion laser highly focused by means of a 50x objective lens. The focusing mechanism of the plasmonic lenses is explained using a coherent interference model of surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) generation on the circular grating due to the incident field. As a result, phase modulation can be accomplished by the groove gap, similar to a nanoslit array with different widths. This focusing allows a high confinement of SPPs that can excite the Er3+ ions of the glass. The Er3+ luminescence spectra were measured in the far-field (500-750 nm wavelength range), where we could verify the excitation yield via the plasmonic lens on the Er3+ ions. We analyze the influence of the geometrical parameters on the luminescence spectra. The variation of these parameters results in considerable changes of the luminescence spectra.

Embryonic and larval development of haliotis tuberculata coccinea reeve: an indexed micro-photographic sequence

[EN] First description of the complete embryo and larval development of the Canarian abalone (Haliotis tuberculata coccinea Reeve.) was conducted along 39 stages from fertilization to the appearance of the third tubule on the cephalic tentacles and illustrated in a microphotographic sequence. Eggs obtained by induced spawning with hydrogen peroxide from the GIA captive broodstock were stocked at a density of 10 eggs/mL and kept at 23 0.5 BC for 62 h until the formation of the third tubule. Live eggs and larvae were continuously observed on a 24 h basis at a 3400 magnification under transmitted light. At each stages, specific morphological features, illustrated by microscopic photographs, were described, as well as the time required for their apparition. Fertilized eggs diameter was 205 8 mm (mean SD), whereas length and width of larvae ready to undergo metamorphosis were 216.6 5.3 mmand 172 8.8 mm, respectively. Knowledge on the larval morphological development acquired through this study will contribute to the improvement of larval rearing techniques for this abalone species.

Semantic Enrichment of Scientific Documents with Semantic Lenses – Developing methodologies, tools and prototypes for their concrete use

Con questa dissertazione di tesi miro ad illustrare i risultati della mia ricerca nel campo del Semantic Publishing, consistenti nello sviluppo di un insieme di metodologie, strumenti e prototipi, uniti allo studio di un caso d‟uso concreto, finalizzati all‟applicazione ed alla focalizzazione di Lenti Semantiche (Semantic Lenses).