Background The use of custom-made 3D-printed prostheses for reconstruction of severe bone defects in selected cases is increasing. The aims of this study were to evaluate (1) the feasibility of surgical reconstruction with these prostheses in oncologic and non-oncologic settings and (2) the functional results, complications, and outcomes at short-term follow-up. Methods We analyzed 13 prospectively collected patients treated between June 2016 and January 2018. Diagnoses were primary bone tumour (7 patients), metastasis (3 patients), and revision of total hip arthroplasty (3 patients). Pelvis was the most frequent site of reconstruction (7 cases). Functional results were assessed with MSTS score and complications according to Henderson et al. Statistical analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test curves.Results At a mean follow-up of 13.7 months (range, 6-26 months), all patients except one were alive. Oncologic outcomes show seven patients NED (no evidence of disease), one NED after treatment of metastasis, one patient died of disease, and another one was alive with disease. Overall survival was 100% and 80% at one and two years, respectively. Seven complications occurred in five patients (38.5%). Survival to all complications was 62% at two years of follow-up. Functional outcome was good or excellent in all cases with a mean score of 80.3%. Conclusion 3D-printed custom-made prostheses represent a promising reconstructive technique in musculoskeletal oncology and challenging revision surgery. Preliminary results were satisfactory. Further studies are needed to evaluate prosthetic design, fixation methods, and stability of the implants at long-term.
Reactivation of pre-existing intra-basement structures can influence the evolution of rift basins, yet the detailed kinematic relationship between these structures and overlying rift-related faults remains poorly understood. Understanding the kinematic as well as geometric relationship between intra-basement structures and rift-related fault networks is important, with the extension direction in many rifted provinces typically thought to lie normal to fault strike. We here investigate this problem using a borehole-constrained, 3D seismic reflection dataset from the Taranaki Basin, offshore New Zealand. Excellent imaging of intra-basement structures and a relatively weakly deformed, stratigraphically simple sedimentary cover allow us to: (a) identify a range of interaction styles between intra-basement structures and overlying, Plio-Pleistocene rift-related normal faults; and (b) examine the cover fault kinematics associated with each interaction style. Some of the normal faults parallel and are physically connected to intra-basement reflections, which are interpreted as mylonitic reverse faults formed during Mesozoic subduction and basement terrane accretion. These geometric relationships indicate pre-existing intra-basement structures locally controlled the position and attitude of Plio-Pleistocene rift-related normal faults. However, through detailed 3D kinematic analysis of selected normal faults, we show that: (a) normal faults only nucleated above intra-basement structures that experienced late Miocene compressional reactivation, (b) despite playing an important role during subsequent rifting, intra-basement structures have not been significantly extensionally reactivated, and (c) preferential nucleation and propagation of normal faults within late Miocene reverse faults and folds appears to be the key genetic relationship between contractionally reactivated intra-basement structures and rift-related normal faults. Our analysis shows that km-scale, intra-basement structures can control the nucleation and development of newly formed, rift-related nor-mal faults, most likely due to a local perturbation of the regional stress field. Because of this, simply inverting fault strike for causal extension direction may be incorrect, especially in provinces where pre-existing, intra-basement structures occur. We also 660 | EAGE COLLANEGA Et AL.
A novel reconfigurable architecture based on slow-wave propagation in integrated optical ring resonators is proposed for the realization of variable optical delay lines. A continuously variable delay is achieved by combining a coarse discrete (digital) delay, provided by a coupled resonator slow-wave structure, with a fine continuous (analog) delay given by a cascaded ring- resonator phase-shifter. The reflective configuration of the structure enables a simple, accurate and robust tuning of the delay and provides a footprint reduction by a factor 2 with respect to conventional coupled resonator optical waveguides. Proof-of-concept devices realized in 4.4% silicon oxynitride waveguides and activated by a thermal control are discussed. Experimental results demonstrate, in both spectral and time domain, a continuously variable delay, from zero to 800 ps (2 bit fractional delay), on a 2.5 Gbit/s NRZ signal, with less than 8 dB insertion loss and less than 5 mm2 device footprint.
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