Determination of Zygosity by Questionnaire and Physical Features Comparison in Chinese Adult Twins

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.

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 103 (12) ◽  
pp. 1292-1299

Objective: To study the use rate, outcome, and concomitant factors of the use of the total contact orthoses (TCO) in the Foot Clinic, Siriraj Hospital Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive study collecting data from patient medical records and questionnaires. Patients who had foot problems without impairment of foot sensation and received the TCO from the Foot Clinic between July 2015 and April 2016 were interviewed before and after using the latest TCO for one month. Results: One hundred seven participants were recruited. Most were female (84.1%) with a median age of 59.3 years. The majority had chronic plantar fasciitis (26.2%), posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) (25.2%), hallux valgus (21.5%), or metatarsalgia (21.5%). The TCO user was defined as a participant who had to use the TCO for more than three days per week and for more or equal to 50% of daily walking and standing duration. The use rate was 67.3%. The TCO provides standing and walking stability (p=0.008). For patients with metatarsalgia, using the TCO could significantly reduce pain (p=0.002). Using univariate analysis, many factors were found to be associated with the use of the TCO including having level of convenience of putting on or taking off shoes with TCO at 9 or more (odds ratio 2.66, 95% CI 1.16 to 6.12), having difficulty to find proper shoes that fit with the TCO (odds ratio 0.36, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.89), receiving more than one pair of TCO (odds ratio 4.09, 95% CI 1.51 to 11.05), and having level of comfort satisfaction during the TCO use at 9 or more (odds ratio 3.61, 95% CI 1.55 to 8.40). The latter two factors were found to be associated with the use of the TCO from stepwise logistic regression analysis (adjusted odds ratio 3.39, 95% CI 1.18 to 9.71 and 3.02, 95% CI 1.07 to 8.47, respectively). Conclusion: The use of the TCO in the Foot Clinic, Siriraj Hospital was 67.3%. Using the TCO could promote walking stability. Factors affecting the use of the TCO included receiving more than the first pair of TCO and having comfort satisfaction level of 9 or more. Keywords: Use, Total contact orthoses, Total contact insole, Foot problems


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


1989 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Kemali ◽  
M. Maj ◽  
B. Carpiniello ◽  
R.D. Giurazza ◽  
M. Impagnatiello ◽  
...  

Summary141 patients with an ICD-9 diagnosis of schizophrenic psychosis were followed up prospectively for 3 years in 7 Italian centres, representative of the different degrees of application of the psychiatric reform law (Law 180) passed in 1978. It was agreed that each centre would treat the patients according to its routine, and that all contacts with the patients and each intervention performed would be carefully recorded in an ad hoc schedule. The baseline evaluation of psychosocial adjustment was performed by the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS), and this assessment was then repeated every 6 months during the follow-up period. At the end of this period, the rating on the DAS section 5 was taken as a global measure of patients’ psychosocial outcome. On a stepwise logistic regression analysis, 2 variables were found to be significantly predictive of psychosocial outcome, that is the use of social and/or vocational skills training (associated with a favourable outcome) and the number of days/year of full hospitalization (associated with a poor outcome). Trieste and Arezzo were the only centres in which a significant improvement of the score on some DAS subscales (namely, “occupational role, interest” and “social withdrawal”) was detected. In the whole patient sample, the difference between the final and the baseline score on these subscales correlated significantly with the number/year of outpatient contacts and of home visits. These findings confirm the favourable impact of the community-oriented care provided in some Italian centres on the Psychosocial outcome of schizophrenic patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Ning Dai ◽  
Wei Zheng ◽  
Qing-Qing Wu ◽  
Tian-Chen Hui ◽  
Nan-Nan Sun ◽  
...  

AbstractNovel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) has been widely spread in China and several other countries. Early finding of this pneumonia from huge numbers of suspects gives clinicians a big challenge. The aim of the study was to develop a rapid screening model for early predicting NCP in a Zhejiang population, as well as its utility in other areas. A total of 880 participants who were initially suspected of NCP from January 17 to February 19 were included. Potential predictors were selected via stepwise logistic regression analysis. The model was established based on epidemiological features, clinical manifestations, white blood cell count, and pulmonary imaging changes, with the area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 0.920. At a cut-off value of 1.0, the model could determine NCP with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 82.3%. We further developed a simplified model by combining the geographical regions and rounding the coefficients, with the AUROC of 0.909, as well as a model without epidemiological factors with the AUROC of 0.859. The study demonstrated that the screening model was a helpful and cost-effective tool for early predicting NCP and had great clinical significance given the high activity of NCP.


Author(s):  
Magaji Garba Taura ◽  
Lawan Hassan Adamu ◽  
Abdullahi Yusuf Asuku ◽  
Kabiru Bilkisu Umar ◽  
Musa Abubakar

Abstract Background Sex determination is one of the leading criterion in identification and verification of an individual. However, the potential roles of differences in adjacent fingerprint white line count (FWLC) in sex inference are not well elucidated in the literature especially among Hausa population. The study was conducted to determine sexual dimorphism and predict sex using adjacent digit FWLC difference (adj. DFWLCD) among Hausa population of Kano state, Nigeria. Methods The study population involved 300 participants. FWLC was determined from a plain fingerprint captured using live scanner. The formula for adj. DFWLCD of thumb and fifth digit is dR15 for right hand. The same applied for possible combination in cephalocaudal direction. Mann-Whitney and t tests were used for comparison of variables between sexes. Binary logistic regression analyses were employed for determination of sex. Results We observed a significantly larger adj. DFWLCD in males compared with females in most of the digit combination. A significant sexual dimorphism was observed in most of the adj. DFWLCD involving ring digit in both right (dR14, dR24, and dR34) and left (dL14, dL24, and dL34). The best discrimination was observed in adjacent FWLC difference of second and fourth digits in both right and left digits (dR24 and dL24). This was further supported by stepwise logistic regression analyses. Conclusion The adj. DFWLCD exhibits sexual dimorphism. The best prediction potentials were found to be dR24 and dL24 for right and left hands respectively.


1998 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 138-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Berlin ◽  
F Lavergne

SummaryIn order to identify clinical and demographic variables that predict response to antidepressants and to analyse prediction of outcome as a function of definition of outcome we analysed pooled data of two independent, multicentre, double blind parallel group studies. Study I compared the efficacy of mianserin with that of fluoxetine in 65, and study II compared mianserin with fluvoxamine in 60 patients with depression. Improvement was defined as at least 20% decrease in MADRS by day 14. Patients were considered as responders if they had greater than 50% decrease and non-responders if they had ≤ 50% decrease from baseline in the MADRS at day 56. Complete remission was defined as MADRS score ≤ 6 at day 56. Patients' characteristics did not differ between mianserin and SSRI groups. Early improvement predicted response in 92% and complete remission in 55% of the patients improved at day 14. Multivariate forward stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that response to treatments at day 56 was significantly (P = 0.0003) associated with early improvement, age (responders had higher age than non-responders) and weight (responders weighted more than non-responders). Complete remission was only predicted by early improvement. Treatments could not be differentiated when data were analysed according to responder/nonresponder status or complete remission/no complete remission. However, when the same data were analysed by analysis of variance a significant treatment effect (P = 0.02, mianserin > SSRIs) and a quadratic type treatment by time interaction (P = 0.023) were found. The robustness of the analysis was further improved by inclusion of covariates (age, weight). Early clinical improvement seems to be the best predictor of 2 month response to antidepressants (mianserin, SSRIs). Younger age and lower weight may predict non-response. Quantitative analysis differentiates treatments better than analysis of responder status. As obtenation of complete remission is a realistic objective with current antidepressants, studies longer than 2 months are needed to assess effectiveness of these drugs in the obtenation of complete remission.


Author(s):  
Gianluca Rigatelli ◽  
Marco Zuin ◽  
Fabio Dell'Avvocata ◽  
Luigi Pedon ◽  
Roberto Zecchel ◽  
...  

Background: RoPE score calculator has been proposed to stratify the patients in whom PFO may be considered not a confounding but presumably a causative factor.Objectives To implement the RoPE score calculator.Methods.  We reviewed the medical data of 1040 consecutive patients (mean age 47.3±17.1 years) prospectively enrolled in two centres over a 13 years period for management of PFO in order to select anatomic and functional parameters to be incorporated in a modified RoPE score. A scoring system (AF-RoPE) was build up and applied in a prospective blind fashion to a cohort of  406 consecutive patients (mean age 43.6 ±17. 5 years, 264 females)  with cryptogenic stroke and PFO comparing its performance with the standard RoPE.Results. Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that right-to-left  (R-L) shunt at rest (OR 5.9), huge ASA (> 20 mm) (OR 3.9), long tunnelized PFO (> 12 mm) (OR 3.5), and massive R-L shunt (grade 5 by TCD) (OR 1.9) conferred the highest risk of recurrent stroke. The AF-RoPE score  resulted in a more precise separation of patients with RoPE score 8-10. Patients with AF-RoPE score > 11 had more stroke recurrences and more diffuse area of stroke on MRI in the medical history than those ranging 10 to 7 or less.Conclusion. The AF-RoPE score discriminates cryptogenic stroke patients who are more likely to develop recurrent stroke compared with a RoPE score between 8-10.  These highest risk patients may be more likely to benefit from PFO closure.


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