Roman Jasinsky as Icare (centre on floor), Genevieve Moulin, Olga Morosova, Sono Osato, and Alexandra Denisova as Greek Maidens (from left to right), and artists of the company, in Icare, The Original Ballet Russe, Australian tour, His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, May 1940 [picture] /

From: Icare : choreographic legend in one act / ballet and rhythms by Serge Lifar ; orchestrated by Antal Dorati.; Inscription: "4V/26".; Part of the collection: Hugh P. Hall collection of photographs, 1938-1940.; Choreography by Serge Lifar ; scenery and costumes by Sidney Nolan.; Also available in an electronic version via the internet at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn4173901. One of a collection of photographs taken by Hugh P. Hall of 28 ballet productions performed by the Covent Garden Russian Ballet (toured Australia 1938-1939) and the Original Ballet Russe (toured Australia 1939-1940). These are the second and third of the three Ballets Russes companies which toured Australasia between 1936 and 1940. The photographs were taken from the auditorium during a live performance in His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne and mounted on cardboard for display purposes. For conservation and storage, the photographs have been demounted. The original arrangement of the photographs has been recorded, and details are available from the Pictures Branch of the National Library

Differences in three-dimensional upper airway anatomy between Asian and European patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowStudy objectives: This study evaluated differences in upper airway, soft tissues and craniofacial structures between Asians from China and Europeans from Iceland with OSA using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Airway sizes, soft tissue volumes, and craniofacial dimensions were compared between Icelandic (N = 108) and Chinese (N = 57) patients with oxygen desaturation index (ODI) ≥ 10 events/h matched for age, gender, and ODI. Mixed effects models adjusting for height or BMI and residual differences in age and ODI were utilized. Results: In our matched sample, compared to Icelandic OSA patients, Chinese patients had smaller BMI (p < 0.0001) and neck circumference (p = 0.011). In covariate adjusted analyses, Chinese showed smaller retropalatal airway size (p ≤ 0.002), and smaller combined soft tissues, tongue, fat pads, and pterygoid (all p ≤ 0.0001), but male Chinese demonstrated a larger soft palate volume (p ≤ 0.001). For craniofacial dimensions, Chinese demonstrated bigger ANB angle (p ≤ 0.0196), differently shaped mandibles, including shorter corpus length (p < 0.0001) but longer ramus length (p < 0.0001), and a wider (p < 0.0001) and shallower (p ≤ 0.0001) maxilla. Conclusions: Compared to Icelandic patients of similar age, gender and ODI, Chinese patients had smaller retropalatal airway and combined soft tissue, but bigger soft palate volume (in males), and differently shaped mandible and maxilla with more bony restrictions. Results support an ethnic difference in upper airway anatomy related to OSA, which may inform targeted therapies. Keywords: ethnicity; obstructive sleep apnea; three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging; upper airway structure.United States Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) - US

Physical Activity Following Positive Airway Pressure Treatment in Adults With and Without Obesity and With Moderate-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowAt baseline, participants with obesity and OSA exhibited fewer steps per day on waist accelerometer and fewer CPM per day on wrist actigraphy compared to participants without obesity and with OSA (despite similar apnea-hypopnea index between groups). Following PAP treatment, participants with OSA had modestly increased CPM per day on wrist actigraphy (17.69 [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.67-29.71], P = .005) and increased light PA time (0.26 [95% CI, 0.07-0.44] hours, P = .008) on waist accelerometer. Participants without obesity and with OSA had greater improvements in PA measures on average compared to participants with obesity and OSA, although the differences were not statistically significant. Weight increased following PAP treatment in the participants with obesity and OSA (1.71 [95% CI, 0.41-3.02] kg, P = .010) but was unchanged in the group without obesity (0.93 [95% CI, -0.89 to 2.76] kg, P = .311).National Institutes of Health China Scholarship Council (CSC) Philips Respironics Foundatio

Carotid Artery Wall Thickness in Obese and Non-obese Adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Before and Following Positive Airway Pressure Treatment

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowSTUDY OBJECTIVES: Debate persists as to whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to compare carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), an early sign of atherosclerosis, in obese and nonobese adults with OSA before and following positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment. METHODS: A total of 206 adults newly diagnosed with OSA with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 15-75 events/hour and 53 controls with AHI <10 were studied. Waist circumference was used to classify participants as obese and nonobese. Bilateral common carotid artery B-mode ultrasound was performed at baseline to assess IMT, arterial diameter, arterial-wall mass, and circumferential wall stress. Measurements were repeated in 118 participants with OSA who completed a 4-month PAP treatment and had an average daily use over that period of ≥4 hours/day. RESULTS: No significant differences in carotid IMT, diameter, or arterial-wall mass were present at baseline between participants with OSA and controls stratified by waist circumference, after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors. In participants with OSA, who had adequate PAP adherence over the 4-month treatment, carotid artery diameter significantly increased (mean change [95% confidence interval] = 0.13 [0.06, 0.20] mm; p = .0004), but no significant changes in carotid IMT, arterial-wall mass, and circumferential stress were observed in obese and nonobese participants. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of obesity status, carotid IMT is not increased in adults with moderate to severe OSA versus controls and does not change following 4 months of PAP treatment.National Institute of Healt

Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Positive Airway Pressure Therapy on Cardiac Remodeling as Assessed by Cardiac Biomarker and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Nonobese and Obese Adults.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowIt is unknown whether obesity modifies the effect of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy on cardiac remodeling and NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) levels. We compared NT-proBNP and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in adults without OSA (n=56) and nonobese (n=73; body mass index <30 kg/m2) and obese (n=136; body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) adults with OSA. We also investigated these traits in nonobese (n=45) and obese (n=78) participants with OSA adherent to 4 months of PAP treatment. At baseline, left ventricular mass to end-diastolic volume ratio, a measure of left ventricular concentricity, was greater in both nonobese and obese participants with OSA compared with those without OSA. Participants with OSA and obesity exhibited reduced phasic right atrial function. No significant differences in baseline NT-proBNP were observed across groups. The effect of PAP treatment on NT-proBNP and left atrial volume index was significantly modified by obesity. In nonobese participants, PAP therapy was associated with a decrease in NT-proBNP (P<0.0001) without a change in left atrial volume index, whereas in obese participants, PAP was associated with an increase in left atrial volume index (P=0.006) without a change in NT-proBNP. OSA was associated with left ventricular concentric remodeling independent of obesity and right atrial dysfunction in participants who were obese. PAP treatment was associated with reduced NT-proBNP in nonobese participants with OSA, but left atrial enlargement in obese participants with OSA, suggesting that PAP-induced reduction in BNP release (which is known to occur during obstructive apnea episodes) may lead to volume retention in obese participants with OSA. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01578031.United States Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA Icelandic Research Fund Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program of China Association for Science and Technolog