A longitudinal cephalometric study of the soft tissue profile of short- and long-face syndromes from 7 to 17 years

The longitudinal growth and development of the soft tissue drape for boys and girls with long and short vertical patterns was examined from age 7 to 17 years. The sample was taken from the Denver Growth Study and consisted of 32 subjects who were selected on the basis of their percentage of lower anterior vertical face height. All subjects were of northern European ancestry, and none had undergone orthodontic treatment. The sexual dimorphism was evident as anticipated for several soft tissue measurements. The boys showed continued growth through age 16 years in contrast to the girls who attained the adult size of the soft tissue integument around 14 years. A significant difference between vertical facial patterns was reported for all soft tissue variables with the exception of the soft tissue thickness at A point and the upper lip height. The boys and girls with long vertical patterns exhibited a thicker and longer soft tissue drape for the most variables when compared with those with short facial patterns. These soft tissue differences are believed to be compensatory mechanisms in long-face subjects, which may attempt to mask the vertical dysplasia, thereby producing a more normal facial profile. Individual growth assessments revealed that the perioral soft tissues follow a pattern similar to that of the mean group patterns. The subjects with long vertical facial patterns experienced their pubertal growth spurt earlier than the short-face subjects. This may have clinical implications in the timing of orthodontic intervention and treatment.     

Association of lip posture and the dimensions of the tonsils and sagittal airway with facial morphology

The specific contribution of enlarged tonsils or adenoids to craniofacial growth remains unknown, and there is no agreement in the literature as to the significance of lip posture. This study assessed the separate associations of lip posture, sagittal airway size, and tonsil size with selected cephalometric measures. Clinical and cephalometric data of 207 children who presented for evaluation of tonsil and/or adenoid problems were evaluated. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the linear relationship between each of the three parameters and the cephalometric dependent variables. Open lip posture, reduced sagittal airway, and large tonsils were each associated statistically with a characteristic but different skeletal configuration. This association was proportional. Specifically, a more open lip posture was associated with a more backwardly rotated face and larger lower facial height. Reduced sagittal airway size was associated with en bloc backward relocation of the maxilla and mandible. Because the sella-nasion dimension shortened proportionally, the SNA and SNB angles were not affected. Larger tonsils were associated with more forward relocation and rotation of the maxilla and mandible and increased SNA and SNB angles. Because each of the three parameters was associated proportionally with a different craniofacial morphology, it is concluded that lip posture, sagittal airway size, and tonsil size represent three different and unrelated phenomena with respect to their effects on craniofacial growth and form.     

A three-dimensional computerized mesh diagram analysis and its application in soft tissue facial morphometry

A modified computerized mesh diagram analysis that allows rapid and independent quantifications of soft tissue facial size and shape in the three-dimensional space is presented. Normal references are provided, and the application of the method is also exemplified by the analysis of two maxillofacial surgical patients. The Three-Dimensional Facial Morphometry method has been used for the collection of the x, y, z coordinates of 22 soft tissue landmarks in 50 men and 50 women (all healthy young white adults). The method detects the three-dimensional coordinates of retroreflective, wireless markers positioned on selected facial landmarks with two charge-coupled device cameras, working in the infrared field. The midpoint between the right and left tragus landmarks served as the origin of the coordinate axes, and the landmark coordinates were rotated, setting the intercantheal line horizontal on both the frontal and the horizontal planes, and the Camper's plane inclined at -7.5 degrees on the sagittal plane. A standardized mesh of equidistant horizontal (dimension: half the upper face width), vertical (half the vertical projection of upper face height), and anteroposterior (half the horizontal projection of upper face depth) lines was consequently constructed. The lattice was replicated on the entire face and comprised 84 parallelepipeds. Both male and female reference meshes had a harmonious and symmetric appearance, with gender differences in facial size but not in facial shape. The standard normal reference was superimposed on the patient's tracing, and the global (size plus shape) difference was then evaluated by the calculation of the relevant displacement vectors for each soft tissue landmark. A global difference factor was calculated as the sum of the modules of all the displacement vectors. Consequently, a size normalization was performed, and the shape difference (size-standardized) was then evaluated by the calculation of new relevant displacement vectors for each landmark, as well as a shape--global difference vectors.     

A comparative diuretic and tissue distribution study of bumetanide and furosemide in the dog

Intravenous dose-response data obtained from renal clearance studies in anesthetized dogs indicated that bumetanide was approximately 30-fold more potent than furosemide in enhancing sodium excretion. After the administration of 0.01 mg/kg of bumetanide or 1.0 mg/kg of furosemide, the relationship between i.v. diuretic activity and tissue distribution was evaluated. In dog renal clearance experiments, bumetanide and furosemide significantly enhanced urine flow, sodium and potassium excretion. Inulin clearance as an estimate of glomerular filtration rate was not altered by either drug, but sodium reabsorption was decreased with bumetanide (13%) and furosemide (12%). At these diuretic doses, both compounds were bound to dog plasma protein to about the same extent (86-91%), although total plasma levels were 100-fold higher for furosemide. Within 1/2 hour after the i.v. administration of 14C-bumetanide or 14C-furosemide, 86 to 99% of the 14C in urine, plasma, kidney, and liver appeared as unchanged drug. One minute after maximal diuresis bumetanide was found to have a higher affinity (3-fold) for kidney compared to furosemide. These data offer a possible explanation for the i.v. diuretic potency difference between these two compounds. Furthermore, the lack of significant difference in plasma protein binding and the absence of urinary metabolites of either drug suggest that other factors may also contribute to the marked differences in diuretic activity between bumetanide and furosemide.     

A comparative study of aptitude patterns in unskilled and skilled psychomotor performances.

"A cross-sectional and longitudinal comparison was made of abilities involved at early and late stages of proficiency on a variety of complex psychomotor tasks… [by]… giving extended practice on seven different tasks to the same Ss who also received a battery of reference tests [from factor analyses]… . Factors were defined by the reference tests, and the resulting loadings of these in different stages of practice in the psychomotor tasks were examined. The results confirm and extend previous findings… which indicate considerable, but systematic, changes in the patterns of abilities contributing to proficiency on complex tasks as training continues and proficiency increases." 18 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Natural history of sucking patterns in infant goats: A comparative study.

Examined temporal organization of sucking patterns, the phase interaction of sucking and other rhythmical motor patterns, and the effects of feeding on sucking rate in 26 Nubian goats. No changes in sucking rate were noted over the 1st 3 mo. The precise rate concordance between sucking and tail movements suggested that peripheral motor rhythms are regulated by a central sequencing mechanism which in turn is modulated by organismic and peripheral factors. A comparison of sucking patterns in 10 human infants and Ss indicates that qualitative species differences in the prefunctional organization of sucking influence the nature of the interaction between sucking performance and organismic or peripheral factors. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

High-dose epirubicin is not an alternative to standard-dose doxorubicin in the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcomas. A study of the EORTC soft tissue and bone sarcoma group

The activity and toxicity of single-agent standard-dose doxorubicin were compared with that of two schedules of high-dose epirubicin. A total of 334 chemonaive patients with histologically confirmed advanced soft-tissue sarcomas received (A) doxorubicin 75 mg m(-2) on day 1 (112 patients), (B) epirubicin 150 mg m(-2) on day 1 (111 patients) or (C) epirubicin 50 mg m(-2) day(-1) on days 1, 2 and 3 (111 patients); all given as bolus injection at 3-week intervals. A median of four treatment cycles was given. Median age was 52 years (19-70 years) and performance score 1 (0-2). Of 314 evaluable patients, 45 (14%) had an objective tumour response (eight complete response, 35 partial response). There were no differences among the three groups. Median time to progression for groups A, B and C was 16, 14 and 12 weeks, and median survival 45, 47 and 45 weeks respectively. Neither progression-free (P = 0.93) nor overall survival (P = 0.89) differed among the three groups. After the first cycle of therapy, two patients died of infection and one owing to cardiovascular disease, all on epirubicin. Both dose schedules of epirubicin were more myelotoxic than doxorubicin. Cardiotoxicity (> or = grade 3) occurred in 1%, 0% and 2% respectively. Regardless of the schedule, high-dose epirubicin is not a preferred alternative to standard-dose doxorubicin in the treatment of patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcomas.     

A prospective study of the safety of joint and soft tissue aspirations and injections in patients taking warfarin sodium

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety of joint or soft tissue aspirations and injections in patients taking warfarin sodium. METHODS: The outcome of 32 joint or soft tissue aspirations or injections in patients receiving stable doses of warfarin sodium was assessed through a standardized interview 4 weeks after the procedure. The primary outcome measure was significant joint or soft tissue hemorrhage, ascertained by patient-reported increases in swelling or warmth at the procedure site. RESULTS: None of 32 procedures was complicated by joint or soft tissue hemorrhage reported by the patients, yielding, by the "rule of threes," a risk of significant hemorrhage of < 10% (with 95% certainty). Diagnostic information was obtained for 53% of aspirated sites (8 of 15) and therapeutic benefit was noted in 74% of corticosteroid-injected sites (17 of 23). CONCLUSION: Joint or soft tissue injections and aspirations in selected patients taking warfarin sodium are associated with a low risk of hemorrhage and are often of diagnostic or therapeutic value.     

Phase II study of rapid-scheduled etoposide in paediatric soft tissue sarcomas

Twenty three patients with paediatric soft tissue sarcomas who had relapsed or refractory disease were treated with a rapid schedule of intravenous etoposide (100 mg/m2 daily on three consecutive days, weekly over 3 weeks). The regimen was well tolerated with predictable myelotoxicity. In 19 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma, there was a response rate of 42%. This appears to be better than previously reported with conventional three weekly schedules. These data indicate that for rhabdomyosarcoma, as for some other tumours, a divided dose regimen may be the optimal schedule and is worthy of further evaluation.     

Expression of interpersonal aggression by angered and nonangered persons with the Type A and Type B behavior patterns.

37 male undergraduates, who were classified on the student version of the Jenkins Activity Survey as showing the Type A (coronary prone) or Type B (noncoronary prone) behavior pattern, were first either angered or not angered in a problem-solving task by a confederate who posed as another S. In a subsequent bogus learning experiment, Ss had the opportunity to punish or reward the confederate. The effectiveness of the anger manipulation was attested to by the fact that angered Ss had reliably higher pulse rates and blood pressure. In the learning experiment, Type As who had not been angered gave the confederate reliably higher levels of punishment than did Type Bs, but there was no difference in the levels of punishment given by Type A and Type B Ss who had been angered. There was also no difference between Type A and Type B Ss in the levels of reward they gave the confederate. Results provide behavioral evidence for aggression in persons with the Type A behavior pattern. The fact that the difference in aggression was limited to nonangered Ss is interpreted in terms of differences in attributions of responsibility. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Immunohistochemical study of proliferating mesenchymal spindle cells in heterogenous soft tissue lesions

Clinics associated with psychology training programs have potential to generate important research data. The expectation that research be experimental in nature has limited the pursuit of research in training clinics. This type of efficacy study is not feasible in most clinics, where too much variation occurs as a result of training and administrative demands. Numerous process-outcome studies have been effectively conducted in training clinics. This article reviews some of these studies, identifies problems related to research in training clinics, and makes recommendations for the development of an enhanced research agenda for training clinics.     

Ibuprofen and skin and soft tissue superinfections in children with varicella

PURPOSE: To investigate the possible association between ibuprofen use and dermatologic superinfections among children with recent varicella infection. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of children in Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, a health maintenance organization in New England, was conducted. Outcomes and exposures of interest were identified from automated medical and pharmacy records. Exposure was defined by dispensing of ibuprofen before varicella to avoid potential confounding by indication. RESULTS: Between July 1, 1990 and September 30, 1994, 89 superinfections developed among 7,013 cases of varicella. The 30-day risk of superinfection was 7.2/10(3) cases (95% CI = 5.8-8.8/10(3) cases). Four of 169 children dispensed ibuprofen within 180 days of varicella developed superinfection. Relative to children without prior use, children with ibuprofen dispensed in the month prior to varicella were 3.1 times more likely to be diagnosed with a superinfection (95% CI = 0.1-19.7; P-value: 0.31). Restriction of outcomes to superinfections treated with systemic antibiotics increased the odds ratio to 5.1 (95% CI = 0.1-32.5; P-value: 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are consistent with a broad range of effects including no association and suggest that further study is needed.     

A comparative study of cefixime and chloramphenicol in children with typhoid fever

We compared cefixime with chloramphenicol in a randomized trial for treatment of children with culture positive typhoid fever. Twenty children were given cefixime 10 mg/kg/day orally and twenty received chloramphenicol 50 mg/kg/day orally. On entry in the study, the clinical characteristics of the two groups were comparable. Duration of therapy was 14 days. Clinical cure was observed in 18 (90%) patients treated with cefixime and 9 (45%) treated with chloramphenical. Out of the 11 patients who did not respond to chloramphenicol, 10 were switched over to cefixime and all of them were cured. Over all 28 cases out of 30 (93.3%) P = 0.0049 were cured by cefixime.     

A fundamental study of raceway size in two dimensions

Blast furnace raceway zones are formed by the force of the air blast injected through the tuyeres evacuating a region of the packed bed directly in front of these tuyeres. Raceway depths in blast furnaces have been historically predicted through the use of empirical correlations based on measurements on cold and hot models. These correlations are not found to be universal in application, however, with many researchers finding only fair agreement between their experi-mental data and the correlations proposed by other researchers. We present here an alternative physical mechanism approach for raceway formation based on examination of the fundamental properties of the system. The study includes two-dimensional experiments where raceway depths and shapes are measured and an accompanying theoretical and numerical analysis of the under-lying mechanisms. Gas flow distributions around the raceway zone are also examined. It is found that the raceway size for given blast conditions and particle properties is such that the total gas drag on the solids vertically above the raceway balances the solid bed weight, with some allowance for solid holdup by walls. The formulation of this theory leads to the further conclusion that the total surface area of the raceway walls as a fraction of the horizontal cross-sectional area of the container or furnace is a unique function of three factors: (a) the gas flow rate as a fraction of the gas flow rate required to fluidize the bed, (b) a particle Reynolds number calculated at the particle's incipient fluidization velocity, and (c) the shape of the horizontal cross section of the bed.     

A comparative study of low-density lipoprotein interaction with glycosaminoglycans

BACKGROUND: Clinically successful islet transplantation has been rare despite adequate isolation techniques. Reenactment of the original autoimmune beta-cell destruction may contribute to the poor results. Distinguishing autoimmune effects from rejection can be accomplished with isogeneic transplants exchanged between diabetes-prone (BB-DP) and diabetes-resistant (BB-DR) rats. These experiments determine the relative sensitivity of islet, whole pancreas, and composite kidney-islet transplants to recurrent autoimmunity. METHODS: Acutely diabetic (BB-Ac) BB rats served as recipients of vascularized pancreas, intraportal (IPo) or renal capsular (KC) islet transplants, or vascularized composite kidney-islet grafts from BB-DR or BB-DP donors. Graft function was assessed by daily blood glucose level, and the outcome was confirmed on histologic examination. Cyclosporine 5 mg/kg/day intramuscularly was administered to assess its effect on recurrent beta-cell injury. RESULTS: BB-DP pancreases developed recurrent autoimmunity in 55% of cases; cyclosporine afforded complete protection if maintained. Diabetes resistance was transplanted with 23 of 23 BB-DR pancreas grafts; however, islet isolation led to a loss of diabetes resistance for islet grafts to the KC and IPo. Cyclosporine protected KC but not IPo islets. Composite BB-DR kidney-islet transplants functioned indefinitely in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Transplanted islets initially survive by passive diffusion but are ultimately revascularized by capillary ingrowth. The finding that composite kidney-islet transplants function indefinitely suggests that the revascularizing endothelium may play a role in resistance or susceptibility to autoimmune beta-cell destruction.     

A quantitative study of nerve fibers in the human facial nerve

The facial and intermediate nerves were quantitatively evaluated in seven patients who died from systemic malignancies not involving the facial nerve. In addition, five of the specimens were also qualitatively evaluated by measuring the total and axon diameters of the facial and intermediate nerve fibers. In two cases the facial nerve fibers were counted at five different levels. The total number of myelinated nerve fibers in the facial nerve varied from 7500 to 9370. The total number of myelinated nerve fibers in the intermediate nerve varied between 3120 and 5360. The peak diameter of the facial nerve axon was between 4 and 6 microns, and was between 2 and 3 microns in the intermediate nerve. When comparing nerve segments at different anatomical levels, the largest amount of nerve fibers was found at the level of the middle mastoid portion. However, this number did not reach the amount of nerve fibers counted in the internal acoustic meatus.     

Sarcoma botryoides in the pediatric vagina--a soft tissue sarcoma with good prognosis

Although rare, sarcoma botryoides of the vagina in infants is a highly aggressive soft tissue tumour. Former opinions suggesting exenterative surgery and radiation to improve the dismal outcome in these young children, are outdated. Due to balanced therapies (topical tumourectomy, chemotherapy and radiation adjusted to tumour stage) cure of these sarcomas may be expected dependent on tumour stage, localisation and response to chemotherapy. The rate of complete remissions has increased in recent years. We report on an eighteen-month old girl with complete remission of tumour stage IIA who had been treated according to the CWS 91 protocol. Diagnosis and treatment were performed in March 1994 at the age of six months. We observed the patient in complete remission for 8 months (till September 1995).     

Influence of personal and universal failure on the subsequent performance of persons with Type A and Type B behavior patterns.

Compared the task performance of Type A (coronary prone) and Type B (noncoronary prone) persons following failure on a task in which no one succeeded (universal failure) vs failure on a task in which others had succeeded (personal failure). Postfailure performance was measured in terms of speed of completion of anagrams. 26 Type A and 28 Type B undergraduates were selected based on their scores on the Jenkins Activity Survey. Initial analyses indicated that the failure manipulation was effective in influencing the Ss' perceived cause of their failures and that Ss were more anxious and depressed following personal than universal failure. Type A's performed better following personal than universal failure, whereas type of failure had no effect on the performance of Type B's. Results suggest that, contrary to what is usually thought, Type A's do not struggle for success indiscriminately and that there are situational determinants of the level of effort that Type A's will expend. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)