Predictors of Patellofemoral Pain Applying Full Weight Bearing Kinematic MRI

Purpose. To determine the associations among PFM, trochlea groove morphology, femoral and patellar rotation and to determine which measures best predict patellofemoral pain (PFP). Material & Methods. Knees of 51 female patients with PFP and 26 healthy female volunteers as control group were analysed with kinematic magnetic resonance imaging and full weight-bearing. The bisect offset (BSO), patellar tilt angle (PTA), femoral rotation angle (FRA), patellar rotation angle (PRA) were measured in steps of 10° between 0° to 50° of knee flexion. Static measures of Insall-Salvati ratio (ISR), sulcus angle (SAB & SAC) and lateral trochlear inclination at bone and cartilage levels (LTIB & LTIC) were performed and compared. Results. The SAB & SAC were higher and the LTIB & LTIC were lower in patients compared to volunteers. BSO, PTA, PRA and medial FRA were higher in the PFP group at all flexion angles. A multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that increase of FRA and SAB by 1° increased the likelihood of PFP 5.6 times and 1.6 times respectively, decrease of PRA by 1° decrease PFP likelihood by 1.7 times. Conclusion. These results revealed FRA, SAB and PRA to have best predictive value for patellofemoral pain. Current findings can help to assess the complexity of predisposing factors for PFP in practice

Effect of ionised (electrolysed) water on the rat embryo development

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects ionised water has on embryonic development using Wistar rat animal model. For that purpose, alkaline and acidic water was prepared with a domestic water ioniser. It was found that the concentrations of Cl–, SO42– ions increased in acidic water, while in alkaline water, Ca2+ concentration decreased and halogenated hydrocarbon concentrations exceeded permitted levels. The animals were given test alkaline and acidic water, as well as tap water as control. After three months, female rats were mated. On the 21st day of gestation, they were euthanized and subjected to Caesarean sections; the number of live and dead fetuses was recorded. The fetuses were examined for external or visceral malformations and skeletal abnormalities. The data showed that embryo death was higher in acidic and alkaline experimental groups in comparison to the control group. The fetuses in both test groups were significantly shorter than in the control group. Long bones of fetal hind and front limbs were shorter in the acidic group in comparison to the control group. Retardation of limb osteogenesis was expressed in the acidic group fetuses. Therefore, in our model, ionised water had a negative effect on the embryonic development

From auxology to ethnogenesis of Lithuanians

On the occasion of 65th birthday of Professor Gintautas Česnys present paper gives a review of scientific and other activity of this outstanding personality – the expert member of Lithuanian Academy of Science, former Dean of the Medical Faculty (1988–1999) and Head of the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Anthropology (1988–2001) of Vilnius University, prizeman of Lithuanian National Prize of Science (1989) and Estonian State prize (2005). Gintautas Česnys graduated from Medical Faculty in 1963. His scientific and pedagogical activity developed from problems of auxology (first dissertation “Auxological characteristics of Lithuanians during infancy, longitudinal study, 1970”) to ethnic anthropology (second dissertation “Anthropology of ancient inhabitants in Lithuania”, 1986). Recently Professor devotes his scientific potentiality for generalizing and summing up of the main historical moments and most outstanding personalities of Lithuanian anthropology

Topic on clinical anthropology in scientific activity of docent Antanas Adomaitis

The present paper is dedicated to docent Antanas Adomaitis, anatomist and anthropologist, former member of editorial board of journal “Medicina”, on the occasion of his 65th birthday and 40 years of scientific activity. First publications of Antanas Adomatis appeared in the 1960s, and now the list of his scientific publications exceeds 140 in number. The research field of docent Antanas Adomaitis is wide and covers problems from growth and development to physical status of adult people and its changes associated with a particular period. However, his most important scientific works are in the field of clinical anthropology. Antanas Adomaitis investigated growth and maturation under pathological circumstances, body composition of adult people, prevalence of obesity, growth diversity and secular trend: in 1975 he defended his thesis entitled “Physical development and sexual maturation of children with congenital heart defects” for the degree of Doctor of Medicine, later focused on growth and development of children with congenital facial anomalies, also blind and weak-sighted children. Recently docent together with the other scientists of our Department investigates growth variety of children from different towns and rural areas of Lithuania. Antanas Adomaitis collected probably most anthropological data on Lithuanians (children and adults) – this is ponderable contribution to Lithuanian auxology and clinical anthropology, valuable material for the future researches of growth and maturation, also physical status of adult people and secular trend

Topografinis giminystės tyrimas populiacijoje pagal diskrečius kaukolės požymius: V–VI amžių plinkaigalio kapinynas

Background. Discrete cranial traits are used in anthropology for estimating the genetic divergence of palaeopopulations and for assessing the kinship of individuals within a population. The goal of the present research was to test the effectiveness of the topographical method in kinship assessment. Materials and methods. The 5th–6th cc. burial ground in Plinkaigalis (Central Lithuania) was investigated. The spatial distribution of 45 discrete cranial traits in 360 individuals was examined, their local increasing in density (clusters) was estimated, and the concordance of their clustering areas was checked up by superposing the grave localization maps. The dispersion of some archaeological finds was analysed in the same way. Results. Nine discrete characters demonstrated a significant clustering on the situation plan of the cemetery; in seven places their density focuses coincided and in two they were rather doubtful. The trait concentration areas differ from those of interments. The characters are of different nature: sutural bones, varieties of openings, even cribra orbitalia, a pathological manifestation. In respect of the occurrence in the Plinkaigalis population, some traits were comparative rare, and some of them were frequent. No relations to inter-group variability and trait taxonomic value in inter-population comparisons were detected. Several kinds of adornments and tools used in the research demonstrated a clustering independent of those of discrete cranial traits, nevertheless, in some rare cases, they can help kinship determination in palaeopopulations. Conclusions. Using the topographical method, groups of genetically related individuals were detected. The discriminative value of significant clustering traits is connected neither with their occurrence in the population nor with inter-population variability. Archaeological artifacts may help in specific cases of kinship assessment

Growth tendencies of the “generation of independence”: the relation between socioeconomic factors and growth indices

Background. The aim of the study was to evaluate the physical status of children born in 1990 in Vilnius City and Region from birth up to the end of puberty, and to investigate the epochal changes and tendencies of their growth. Materials and methods. 1 535 personal health records of children born in 1990 in Vilnius City and Region were analyzed. The main growth indices (height and weight) were recorded from birth up to the age of 18 years. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children was found using the cut-off points for body mass index recommended by the International Obesity Task Force (Cole et al., 2000). The results of the present study were compared with the results of Lithuanian growth studies, as well as with the growth standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). Results. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children born in 1990 in Vilnius City and Region was low: 13.60% and 2.40% in the 18-year-old boys and 9.51% and 1.90% in the 18-year-old girls, respectively. The retardation of growth was observed during the first years of independence. The main growth indices have changed in girls more than in boys: both their height (from 166.5 ± 7.0 cm to 167.9 ± 6.2 cm, during the two past decades) and their BMI (from 20.37 ± 2.27 kg/m2 to 21.28 ± 3.33 kg/m2, over the past ten years) increased. Conclusions. Certain retardation in growth of the children born in 1990 was related with the great political, social and economic transition in Lithuania. However, the retardation process was reversible. The main indices of the physical status (height, weight and body mass index) of children did not change much during the two past decades (the acceleration had stabilized). The growth patterns of the “generation of independence” by the end of adolescence showed the tendency towards a higher body weight, though the prevalence of overweight and obesity remained low

"Nepriklausomybės kartos" vaikų augimo tendencijos: socialinių ir ekonominių veiksnių sąsajos su augimo rodikliais

Background. The aim of the study was to evaluate the physical status of children born in 1990 in Vilnius City and Region from birth up to the end of puberty, and to investigate the epochal changes and tendencies of their growth. Materials and methods. 1 535 personal health records of children born in 1990 in Vilnius City and Region were analyzed. The main growth indices (height and weight) were recorded from birth up to the age of 18 years. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children was found using the cut-off points for body mass index recommended by the International Obesity Task Force (Cole et al., 2000). The results of the present study were compared with the results of Lithuanian growth studies, as well as with the growth standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). Results. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children born in 1990 in Vilnius City and Region was low: 13.60% and 2.40% in the 18-year-old boys and 9.51% and 1.90% in the 18-year-old girls, respectively. The retardation of growth was observed during the first years of independence. The main growth indices have changed in girls more than in boys: both their height (from 166.5 ± 7.0 cm to 167.9 ± 6.2 cm, during the two past decades) and their BMI (from 20.37 ± 2.27 kg/m2 to 21.28 ± 3.33 kg/m2, over the past ten years) increased. Conclusions. Certain retardation in growth of the children born in 1990 was related with the great political, social and economic transition in Lithuania. However, the retardation process was reversible. The main indices of the physical status (height, weight and body mass index) of children did not change much during the two past decades (the acceleration had stabilized). The growth patterns of the “generation of independence” by the end of adolescence showed the tendency towards a higher body weight, though the prevalence of overweight and obesity remained low