Cephalometric Variability Among Siblings: A Pilot Study

Objective:To determine whether multiple siblings resemble one another in their craniofacial characteristics as measured on cephalometric radiographs.Methods:This study was conducted retrospectively using the Forsyth Moorrees twin sample. A total of 32 families were included, each with ≥4 postpubertal siblings, totaling 142 subjects. Only 1 monozygotic twin was included per family. Headfilms were digitized, skeletal landmarks were located, and 6 parameters that indicated sagittal jaw relationships and vertical status were measured. Diverse statistical approaches were used. Dixon’s Q-test detected outliers in a family for a given parameter. Manhattan Distance quantified similarity among siblings per parameter. Scatter plots visually displayed subject’s measure relative to the mean and standard deviation of each parameter to assess the clinical relevance of the differences.Results:A total of 11 families (34.4%) had no outliers on any parameter, 13 families (40.6%) had outliers on 1 parameter, and 8 families (25%) had outliers on ≥2 parameters. We identified 29 individuals with at least 1 outlying measure (20.4%). Among these, only 2 individuals (1.4%) were significantly different from their siblings for more than 1 measurement. Although the majority of the families did not demonstrate any statistical outlier, the ranges of the measurements were clinically relevant as they might suggest different treatment. For example, the mean range of SNB (Sella-Nasion-B point) angles was 7.23°, and the mean range of MPA was 9.42°.Conclusion:Although families are generally not dissimilar in their craniofacial characteristics, measurements from siblings cannot be used to predict the measurements of another sibling in a clinically meaningful way

Which facets of mindfulness protect Individuals from the negative experiences of obsessive intrusive thoughts?

Obsessive intrusive thoughts (OITs) are experienced by the majority of the general population, and in their more extreme forms are characteristic of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). These cognitions are said to exist on a continuum that includes differences in their frequency and associated distress. The key factors that contribute to an increased frequency and distress are how the individual appraises and responds to the OIT. Facets of mindfulness, such as nonjudgment and nonreactivity, offer an alternative approach to OITs than the negative appraisals and commonly utilised control strategies that often contribute to distress. Clarifying the role of facets of mindfulness in relation to these cognitions offers a means to elucidate individual characteristics that may offer protection from distress associated with OITs. A sample of nonclinical individuals (n = 583) completed an online survey that assessed their experiences of OITs, including frequency, emotional reaction and appraisals, and trait mindfulness. The findings from a series of multiple regression analyses confirmed that specific facets of mindfulness relating to acting with awareness and acceptance (nonjudgment and nonreactivity) consistently predicted less frequent and distressing experiences of OITs. In contrast, the observe facet emerged as a consistent predictor of negative experiences of OITs. These findings suggest that acting with awareness and acceptance may confer protective characteristics in relation to OITs, but that the observe facet may reflect a hypervigilance to OITs. Mindfulness-based prevention and intervention for OCD should be tailored to take account of the potential differential effects of increasing specific facets of mindfulness

Influence of shallow versus deep etching on dark current and quantum efficiency in InAs/GaSb superlattice photodetectors and focal plane arrays for long wavelength infrared detection

International audienc

Evaluating vacuum phototriodes designed for the PANDA electromagnetic calorimeter

In this work properties of a vacuum phototriode (VPT) and preamplifier unit designed for the electromagnetic calorimeter of the PANDA experiment being built at FAIR are investigated. With the use of lead tungstate and lanthanium bromide scintillators the VPT properties are studied at low photon energies, from tens of key in the lanthanium bromide measurements and between 10 MeV and 60 MeV in the lead tungstate measurements. At these energies the noise of the VPT unit can be expected to influence its performance significantly. It is shown that the noise contribution to the measured energy resolution, under optimal conditions, is consistent with a fluctuation of (one standard deviation) approximately 200 electrons at the VPT anode. For a lead tungstate crystal this is equivalent to a noise of 1.2 MeV. For lanthanium bromide this makes it possible to use VPTs for gamma ray spectroscopy above a few hundreds of keV without noticeable effects on the energy resolution compared to measurements with a standard photomultiplier. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The response of lead-tungstate scintillators (PWO) to photons with energies in the range 13 MeV-64 MeV

The response of a matrix of 25 lead tungstate (PWO) scintillator detectors, operated at -25 degrees C, to photons in the range 13 MeV-64 MeV has been measured at the tagged-photon facility at MAX-lab, Lund. The tapered PWO crystals, each with a length of 200 mm and a cross-section of 24.4 x 24.4 mm(2) in the front end, read out by 19 mm photomultiplier tubes, were arranged in a 5 x 5 matrix. The response was measured for photons directed towards the centre of the central crystal as well as for photons directed towards the corner of the central crystal, where four crystals meet. The obtained energy resolution surpasses what has been published so far and is close to the limit given by Poisson statistics and escaped energy. For photons directed towards the centre(corner) of the central crystal the relative energy resolution, defined as (FWHM/2.35)/E-gamma, decreases from 7.3%(11.0%) at E-gamma = 13 MeV to 3.3%(3.6%) at E-gamma = 64 MeV. The reconstructed point of impact of a photon in this energy range is determined with an uncertainty (one standard deviation) of 7.3 +/- 0.1 mm. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Presence and extent of cardiac computed tomography angiography defined coronary artery disease in patients presenting with syncope

Background In syncope patients, presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with poor prognosis. However, data concerning CAD prevalence in syncope patients without known cardiovascular disease are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate presence and extent of CAD in syncope patients. Methods We included 142 consecutive patients presenting with syncope at the outpatient cardiology clinic who underwent coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography. Syncope type was ascertained by two reviewers, blinded for coronary CT angiography results. Of the patients, 49 had cardiac syncope (arrhythmia or structural cardiopulmonary disease) and 93 had non-cardiac syncope (reflex [neurallymediated], orthostatic or of unknown cause). Cardiac syncope patients were compared with matched stable chest pain patients regarding age, gender, smoking status, diabetes mellitus type 2 and systolic blood pressure. Results Distribution of CAD presence and extent in cardiac and non-cardiac syncope patients was as follows: 72% versus 48% any CAD; 31% versus 26% mild, 8% versus 14% moderate and 33% versus 7% severe CAD. Compared with non-cardiac syncope, patients with cardiac syncope had a significantly higher CAD presence and extent (p = 0.001). Coronary calcium score, segment involvement and stenosis score were also higher in cardiac syncope patients (p-values Conclusion Patients with cardiac syncope show a high presence and extent of CAD in contrast to non-cardiac syncope patients. These results suggest that CAD may play an important role in the occurrence of cardiac syncope