Metopic synostosis is thought to have an incidence of about 1 in 15,000 births. Traditionally, this makes it the third most frequent single-suture craniosynostosis, after scaphocephaly (1 in 4200-8500) and plagiocephaly (1 in 11,000). Our units have, independently from each other, noted a marked increase in the number of metopic synostosis over the recent years. This is a pan-European, retrospective epidemiological study on the number of cases with metopic synostosis born between January 1, 1997, and January 1, 2006. This number was compared to the prevalence of scaphocephaly, the most frequently seen craniosynostosis. In the 7 units, a total of 3240 craniosynostosis were seen from 1997 until 2006. Forty-one percent (n = 1344) of those were sagittal synostosis, and 23% (n = 756) were metopic synostosis. There was a significant increase of the absolute number as well as of the percentage of metopic synostosis over these years (regression analysis, P = 0.017, R2 = 0.578) as opposed to a nonsignificant increase in the percentage of sagittal synostosis (P > 0.05, R2 = 0.368). The most remarkable increase occurred around 2000-2001, with the average of metopics being 20.1% from 1997 to 2000 and 25.5% from 2001 to 2005 (independent t-test, P = 0.002). The sagittal synostosis showed a smaller and nonsignificant increase in the same years: from 39.9% in 1997-2000 leading up to 42.5% in 2001-2005 (independent t-test, P > 0.05). The number of metopic synostosis has significantly increased over the reviewed period in all of our units, both in absolute numbers as in comparison to the total number of craniosynostosis.

Temporal hollowing seems to be of bony origin and can be explained by skeletal growth inhibition in the affected area. When present immediately after operation, they seem to persist through the years, which makes surgical skill another factor of importance.

Object The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of beaten-copper patterns (BCPs) in children with craniosynostosis before 18 months of age and its association with their IQ at a later age. Methods The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 538 cephalograms (obtained at a mean patient age of 1.16 years) from 95 patients. The BCP location and percentage of brain surface area covered were related to patient IQ scores obtained by the same psychologist using the Snijders–Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test–Revised, 51/2–17, and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence–Revised. Results As much as 71.6% of patients presented with a BCP before 18 months of age (mean surface area of BCP 20.3%, 93% of patients presented with bilateral BCPs). The mean IQ was 95 ± 21.3 (range 50–136) at a mean patient age of 8.4 ± 2.59 years. There was a significant increase in the surface area covered by BCPs in the first 3 years of life (p < 0.001) and a significant difference in IQs between syndromic (30 cases, mean IQ 88.9) and nonsyndromic craniosynostosis cases (54 cases, mean IQ 98.9, p = 0.03). No significant correlation was found between IQ and the appearance of BCPs on presurgery radiographs (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.143, p = 0.19) or their location (Spearman rank correlation coefficient = 0.091, p = 0.45). The BCPs appeared predominantly in the occipital region (41.1%). Conclusions Although the radiographic appearance of a BCP before the age of 18 months is an uncommon finding in healthy children, a craniosynostosis study group showed a preoperative BCP incidence of 71.6% and an increased incidence during the period of rapid brain expansion in the first 3 years of life. Note, however, that the presence of such a pattern had no significant long-term effect on patient intelligence levels.

This contribution presents the on-ground characterization and video chain development of the CMOS detector implemented in SPEXone, the five-angle space spectro-polarimeter for the NASA PACE observatory scheduled for launch in 2023. SPEXone is a Dutch compact payload contribution developed in a partnership between SRON and ADSN, and supported by TNO. Making use of spectral modulation, this polarimeter will enable in-depth and global characterization of the microphysical properties of fine particulate matter or aerosols in the atmosphere from low Earth orbit. In SPEXone, the spectrally modulated images are captured by means of a commercial-off-the-shelf detector module (DEM) from 3Dplus, which is equipped with a CMOS image sensor with integrated front-end-electronics. Video chain developments, including DEM firmware, read-out, flexible binning and DEM interfacing through SpaceWire have been carried out in-house. Making use of the firmware, the optimal detector parameters with associated random noise, full-well capacity, and photo response non-uniformity (PRNU) of the DEM were determined by placing the DEM in front of an integrating sphere fiber-fed with a stable white light source with accurately adjustable intensity and a highly linear reference detector, providing highly uniform illumination of the whole detector area at well-known relative light intensities. The rationale behind the measurement sequences is explained, and the full-well and read noise performance under different gain settings is described. The full-well capacity of the DEM is found to be not constant, but increasing significantly with illumination intensity.

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