Physical Features Observation: Is it Repeatable in Zygosity Determination of Chinese Adult Twins?

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjing Gao ◽  
Liming Li ◽  
Weihua Cao ◽  
Siyan Zhan ◽  
Yunlong Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study reports on the inter- and intrarater reliability of physical features observation. Study subjects were 176 Chinese adult persons, consisting of 89 males and 87 females. Three trained research assistants responded simultaneously and respectively to 12 items regarding the subject's physical features including ‘hair’, ‘Mongoloid folds’, left and right ‘ear lobes’, ‘earwax’, ‘nostril shape’, ‘tongue rolling’, left and right ‘hitchhiker's thumb’, ‘mid-digital hair’ and left and right ‘simian crease’ at the moment of interview. And 14 days later, these subjects received the same observation once again. The results showed that the inter- and intra-observer agreements of ‘hair’, ‘earwax’, ‘tongue rolling’, ‘mid-digital hair’ and ‘simian crease’ were almost perfect with most kappa (κ) coefficients ≥ .80, while ‘Mongoloid fold’ and ‘nostril shape’ showed poor inter-observer agreement and ‘nostril shape’ showed poor intra-observer agreement (κ < .40). Two other physical features, ‘hitchhiker's thumb’ and ‘ear lobes’ showed moderate inter-observer agreement and three features, ‘hitchhiker's thumb’, ‘ear lobes’ and ‘Mongoloid fold’, showed moderate intra-observer agreement (.40≤ κ <.80). In conclusion, this study suggests that as far as reliability is concerned, the five features which were ‘hair’, ‘earwax’, ‘tongue rolling’, ‘mid-digital hair’ and ‘simian crease’ could be considered in zygosity determination of Chinese adult twins, while the two features, ‘Mongoloid fold’ and ‘nostril shape’, should be abandoned.

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjing Gao ◽  
Liming Li ◽  
Weihua Cao ◽  
Siyan Zhan ◽  
Jun Lv ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study reports on the determination of zygosity in Chinese adult twins by simple questionnaire and physical features comparison. The subjects were 511 twin pairs from two cities and their town areas, consisting of 371 monozygotic (MZ) and 140 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) pairs, identified by ABO blood group and multiplex polymerase chain reaction of several polymorphic short tandem repeat markers. The twins themselves responded to 8 questionnaire items, 4 items on twin similarity, and 4 items on the frequency of mistaking one twin for another by parents, relatives, teachers and strangers when they were 6 to 13 years old. Research assistants responded to 20 items regarding twins' physical features at the moment of interview. A parsimonious model established using stepwise logistic regression analysis of the 28 items showed that the total accuracy of zygosity diagnosis was 90.1%. The accuracy was 89.2% when using only the items dealing with the confusion of twins and 85.4% using only similarity. In the questionnaire, ‘facial appearance’, ‘mistaken by teachers’ and ‘mistaken by strangers’ had stronger discriminating power between MZ and DZ twins. Two physical features — ‘eyelid’ and ‘middigital hair’ — were informative to some extent. There was no statistically significant sex and area difference in the validity of such questionnaire and physical features comparison-based classification. In conclusion, questionnaire-based zygosity assessment in this Chinese adult twin sample could still be regarded as a valid and valuable classification method. Physical features comparison, however, could only provide limited information for zygosity determination.


Author(s):  
Дмитрий Валериевич Судаков ◽  
Олег Валериевич Судаков ◽  
Людмила Валентиновна Кретинина ◽  
Наталья Владимировна Якушева ◽  
Артём Николаевич Шевцов

Статья посвящена построению прогноза эффективности реконструктивных вмешательств на магистральных нервах предплечья в зависимости от протяженности дефекта нервной ткани и особенностей последующего периода реабилитации пациентов. Данная тематика является весьма актуальной, так как с каждым годом во всем мире наблюдается определенный рост случаев травм различного генеза магистральных нервных стволов, которые затем нередко приводят к временной нетрудоспособности и даже инвалидности пациентов. Реконструктивная микрохирургия многие десятилетия пытается решить целый ряд проблем аутотрансплантации нервных стволов и повысить ее общую эффективность. Но из-за определенных проблем связанных с финансированием, некоторые вопросы трансплантологии и реабилитации остаются нерешенными и в настоящий момент. Все это придает представленной работе важное значение не только медицинского, но и социально - экономического плана. Целью работы стала попытка построения прогноза восстановительных операций на нервной ткани, с учетом объема пораженных структур и периода реабилитации. Объектами исследования стало 180 больных, которым по той или иной причине, осуществлялась реконструктивная операция на одном из магистральных нервов предплечья. Все пациенты были разделены на 3 группы по 60 человек, в зависимости от протяженности дефекта магистрального нерва: до 4 см, от 4 до 8 см и от 8 до 12 см. Последующее разделение внутри каждой группы на подгруппы производилось в зависимости от определенного поврежденного нерва (лучевой, локтевой, срединный). В работе изучалось течение раннего послеоперационного воспалительного процесса, с определением бактериальной микрофлоры в ране. Изучались и отдаленные последствия оперативного вмешательства. Своеобразной новизной для данной тематики в целом, стало выявление последующего установления инвалидности пациентов. Кроме того, важные данные были получены и по срокам реабилитации и частичного или полного восстановления утраченных функций по срокам в зависимости от размеров восстанавливаемого дефекта и от наличия или отсутствия необходимой реабилитации. Полученные в работе данные могут представлять интерес не только для врачей хирургов и травматологов, но и для организаторов здравоохранения, позволяя производить прогнозы по выздоровлению пациентов в каждой определенной клинической ситуации The article is devoted to the construction of a forecast of the effectiveness of reconstructive interventions on the main nerves of the forearm, depending on the length of the defect in the nervous tissue and the characteristics of the subsequent period of rehabilitation of patients. This topic is very relevant, since every year all over the world there is a certain increase in cases of injuries of various origins of the main nerve trunks, which then often lead to temporary disability and even disability of patients. For many decades, reconstructive microsurgery has been trying to solve a number of problems of autotransplantation of nerve trunks and improve its overall efficiency. But due to certain problems associated with funding, some issues of transplantation and rehabilitation remain unresolved at the moment. All this gives the presented work important not only medical, but also socio - economic importance. The aim of this work was to attempt to predict restorative operations on the nervous tissue, taking into account the volume of the affected structures and the period of rehabilitation. The objects of the study were 180 patients who, for one reason or another, underwent a reconstructive operation on one of the main nerves of the forearm. All patients were divided into 3 groups of 60 people, depending on the length of the main nerve defect: up to 4 cm, from 4 to 8 cm, and from 8 to 12 cm. Subsequent division within each group into subgroups was performed depending on the specific damaged nerve ( radial, ulnar, median). The work studied the course of the early postoperative inflammatory process, with the determination of bacterial microflora in the wound. The long-term consequences of surgery were also studied. A peculiar novelty for this topic as a whole was the identification of the subsequent establishment of disability in patients. In addition, important data were obtained on the timing of rehabilitation and partial or complete restoration of lost functions in terms of timing, depending on the size of the restored defect and on the presence or absence of the necessary rehabilitation. The data obtained in this work may be of interest not only for surgeons and traumatologists, but also for healthcare organizers, allowing them to make predictions about the recovery of patients in each specific clinical situation


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 936
Author(s):  
Milan Kojić ◽  
Branka Protić Gava ◽  
Milan Bajin ◽  
Marko Vasiljević ◽  
Jasmina Bašić ◽  
...  

Background: The research objective of the study is to determine the differences in the manifestation of the motor status of normally fed preschool test subjects, classified into groups according to foot status. Methods: This is a simple, comparative observational study. Preschool children included in this study have been subjected to anthropometric measurements in order to determine BMI, tests for motor skills assessment (running at 20 m from a high start, standing broad jump, backwards polygon, rectangular seated forward bend, plate tapping, sit-ups for 60 s, and bent arm hang), and a determination of foot status. The total sample was comprised of 202 test subjects who attended a regular sports program, aged 3.9 to 6.5 years of decimal age (M = 141; Age = 5.3 ± 0.74; Height = 117.3 ± 7.1; Weight = 22 ± 3.7; F = 61; Age = 5.1 ± 0.73; Height = 114.9 ± 7.4; Weight = 21.2 ± 3.8), of which 153 (75.7%) were normally fed, 6 (3%) were undernourished, 30 were overweight (14.9%), and 13 were obese (6.4%). Results: In the total sample, 30 (14.9%) subjects had normal arch feet, 90 (44.6%) high arched feet, and 41 (20.3%) flat feet. We found 41 (20.3%) subjects who had different left and right foot statuses within this sample. The data were processed by means of nonparametric tests (the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests) at a significance level p ≤ 0.05. Conclusion: The results show that there is a statistically significant difference between groups of subjects with different foot statuses in the manifestation of motor status in most tests, with a significance level of p ≤ 0.01, and in tests of sit-ups for 60 s and the bent arm hang, there is a statistically significant difference, the level of which is p ≤ 0.05. It is only in the inclination test of rectangular seated forward bend that no statistically significant difference was displayed.


Author(s):  
Sanaa Aljamani ◽  
Callum Youngson ◽  
Fadi Jarad ◽  
Francis O’Neill

Abstract Purpose Recently we described mapping of the lingual nerve clinically in patients using electrical nerve stimulation. This paper reports results of a larger study with inter- and intra-observer reliability and comparison with positional measurements from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods In 50 healthy participants, measurements were taken when subjects felt a tingling sensation in the tongue induced by a stimulation probe over the lingual nerve. Three positions were measured in relation to the third molar. Measurement reliability was tested for both inter-observer and intra-observer agreement and positional data of the lingual nerve measured clinically was also compared with nerve position as measured from MRI scans. Results Out of 50 participants, 96 nerves (49 = left/47 = right) were included in the study. The lingual nerve was identified in 90% (87) of this sample. The mean of height of the nerve in points A, B and C were 9.64 mm, 10.77 mm and 12.34 respectively. Inter-and intra-observer agreement was considered to be good to excellent (ICC = 0.8–0.96). Agreement between nerve mapping measured values and MRI measured values was good (ICC < 0.6). Conclusion This technique may prove useful for the clinical determination of lingual nerve position prior to procedures in the third molar region.


i-Perception ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 204166952090355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Koenderink ◽  
Andrea van Doorn ◽  
Christoph Witzel ◽  
Karl Gegenfurtner

We studied the relationship between color afterimages and complementary colors. The hues of afterimages of 24 inducer hues, uniformly distributed over the rgb color circle, were measured by an iterative method of adjustment. The judgment of equality of hue of the afterimage and a synthesized patch was effectively judged at the moment immediately after the switch-off of the inducer, when the synthesized patch went through any number of iterative adjustments. The two patches—both phenomenally present, but only one optically presented—appeared to the left and right of a fixation mark that was fixated throughout the whole procedure. Thus, both patches were present in eccentric vision. The hues of afterimages were found to be quite different from the hue of the complementary of the inducer. Almost one half of the color circle (orange to chartreuse) leads to afterimage hues in a narrow region of purples. This implies that color circles based on diametrically opposed inducer–afterimage hues are necessarily inconsistent. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, the relation between primary and afterimage hues is still approximately an involution (they are reciprocally related).


Author(s):  
Carmen-Magdalena Camenidis ◽  
◽  
Irina Băițel ◽  
Amalia Oatu ◽  
Octavian Amzulescu ◽  
...  

The objective of this case study is to observe the existence of an anticipation mechanism at the muscle groups level of the upper limbs. We tried to highlighted this anticipation process by measuring the potential of surface electric for some muscle groups representing the kinematic chain on the right side, involved in the motor action of catching a basketball and a 3kg medicine ball with two hands to the chest. We conducted a case study of a 13-year-old child, female gender. As a measurement method, we used surface electromyography signals of the EMG Trigno Delsys wireless system with 16 electrodes. We determined the moment when the muscles come into action by increasing the potential of surface electric and the moment when the action of catching the ball takes place, using the information provided by the accelerometers incorporated in the sensors of the Delsys equipment used. Therefore, we obtained information about how different muscle groups come into action which helped us to get an idea of how the child's movement is structured. Based on results of accelerations and EMG signals acquired we have formulated conclusions regarding the neuromuscular control of the tested subject. We also planned for the future to test a larger group of participants in the study research of anticipation mechanism in children who do not practice any performance sports.


2007 ◽  
Vol 61 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 37-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Otava ◽  
Calin Mircu ◽  
Horia Cernescu ◽  
Violeta Igna

The timely detection of oestrus presents an important professional procedure with which cattle farmers, in addition to veterinarians, are very often faced, because failure to detect oestrus poses a big economic problem. The objective of this work is to evaluate the efficacy of discovering oestrus in cows by determining the progesterone concentration (P4) in blood plasma. This experiment covered 22 animals, including 15 cows and 7 heifers, in which spontaneous oestrus was discovered. P4 concentration was determined using the ELISA test in samples of blood taken from the animals at the moment of insemination. Of the 15 cows, four cows (26.6%) were not inseminated at the optimal time, and the P4 level in these animals was higher than 1 ng/ml. All the heifers showed a progesterone concentration of over 1 ng/ml, and a percentage of conception which was 85%. The high P4 level in heifers at the moment of insemination could also be a consequence of stress caused by the regrouping and separating of the animals. Even though the heifers were under stress, which is indicated by the high progesteronemia values at the moment of insemination, the percentage of conception among them was beyond expectations. Therefore, the determination of P4 values at the moment of insemination is a suitable method for improving reproduction management on cattle farms. Inappropriate treatment of cows which are expected to show oestrus can cause stress and an increase in the values of the blood concentration of P4. On the grounds of the results obtained in this work, no negative influence of stress on the insemination results in heifers was observed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-338
Author(s):  
Ron P. Podhorodeski ◽  
Paul Sobejko

Analysis of the forces involved in mechanical systems requires an understanding of the dynamic properties of the system's components. In this work, a project on the determination of both the location of the centre of mass and inertial properties is described. The project involves physical testing, the proposal of approximate models, and the comparison of results. The educational goal of the project is to give students and appreciation of second mass moments and the validity of assumptions that are often applied in component modelling. This work reviews relevant equations of motion and discusses techniques to determine or estimate the centre of mass and second moment of inertia. An example project problem and solutions are presented. The value of such project problems within a first course on the theory of mechanisms is discussed.


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