STEREOPHOTOGRAMMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN FACE: A TOOL FOR MODERN MORPHOLOGISTS

The introduction of new technologies has provided, in the last years, a significant contribution to anthropometry. In this context, facial anthropometry has greatly benefited from optical instruments such as laser scanners and stereophotogrammetry. The latter technique has proven to be accurate, repeatable and fast; therefore, taking into consideration its non-invasive nature, it has been increasingly applied to medicine, due to the relevant support that anthropometry can provide to this field. A facial anthropometric assessment can provide reliable morphometric details about the presence of deformities and peculiar features connected to underlying pathological conditions, not always easily recognizable. In the case of certain neurologic diseases, it can also provide new insights about the genotype/phenotype correlation taking the close relationship between facial and cerebral development into consideration. Furthermore, the three-dimensional morphometric evaluation of the face can reveal objective parameters useful for the planning and assessment of maxillo-facial and dental treatments, thus facilitating the clinical decisions and increasing the patients\u2019 compliance. The facial morphometric evaluations presented in the current thesis were performed through the VECTRA M3 3D stereophotogrammetric system (Canfield Scientific, Fairfield, NJ, USA). All the patients and control subjects involved were marked with a set of facial landmarks (adapted according to the different study purposes), before the acquisitions. Once the three-dimensional models were obtained, they were elaborated through the software of the stereophotogrammetric system. Data were analysed through different statistical techniques, according to the type of study executed. The morphometric evaluations were divided in two groups: facial morphometric analyses performed through a landmark-based approach and through a surface- based approach. The first group included the studies: 1) \u201cThe face of adult patients affected by Dravet Syndrome: a 3D stereophotogrammetric preliminary assessment\u201d, 2) \u201c3D Craniofacial morphometric analysis of GLUT-1 DS patients\u201d and 3) \u201cStereophotogrammetric analysis of a case of holoprosencephaly\u201d. The second group included the studies: 4) \u201c3D stereophotogrammetric assessment of labial symmetry in a girl treated for a lymphatic malformation\u201d and 5) \u201cFacial reanimation assessment performed through 3D-3D superimposition: a new method\u201d. 7 For both assessed syndromes, study 1 and 2 allowed the individuation of facial features common among the patients, whose recognition can have a role in the diagnosis of the disease, both in children (study 2) and in adult cases (study 1). Study 3 allowed the identification of the presence of dysmorphic facial features in a girl affected by holoprosencephaly with an apparently normal aspect, thus sustaining the potential of the 3D stereophotogrammetric facial analysis in the morphometric characterisation of the face. Study 4 and 5 showed the usefulness of this technique for performing an objective surgical follow-up and final evaluation of maxillo-facial treatments, helping clinicians in their decisions and motivating the patients. In conclusion, all the studies sustained the usefulness, for medical purposes, of an anthropometric assessment of the human face, performed through a three-dimensional stereophotogrammetric analysis. Moreover, they highlighted its applicability to different categories of patients, including children and people with intellectual disability; thus again justifying the increasing diffusion of stereophotogrammetry in clinical and research centres

B-vitamins determination in Donkey milk

Background: Donkey milk is used in infant nutrition for the treatment of children affected by cow’s milk protein allergy, thanks to its hypo-allergenicity, mainly due to its protein profile, which is very close to that of human milk. Furthermore, donkey milk is characterized by the presence of a fair amount of bioactive proteins, that may have a positive impact on human health. Despite the presence of numerous articles that describe the chemical composition and nutraceutical properties of donkey milk, few works have been performed to determine its vitamin profile; therefore, the purpose of this work is to give further information on the B-vitamins profile of donkey milk. Methods: B-vitamins have been determined through a reversed-phase liquid chromatography analysis. Results: The results indicated that donkey milk (DM) contains thiamine 0.661 ± 0.26 µM, riboflavin 0.168 ± 0.04 µM, nicotinic acid 18.75 ± 1.92 µM, pyridoxine 5.38 ± 3.3 5µM, and folic acid 0.83 ± 0.08 µM. Conclusions: Donkey milk contains a high quantity of nicotinic acid, known for its lipid-lowering effect, and a good amount of vitamin B6 and folic acid, the latter very important for children’s growth. To notice, vitamin B6 has been determined for the first time in donkey milk

Cell wall proteomics reveals a strong association of acta to the peptidoglycan promoting listeria monocytogenes invasiveness

Comunicaciones a congreso

3D facial features in Andersen-Tawil syndrome: a family report

Andersen-Tawil syndrome (ATS) is an inherited potassium channelopathy affecting cardiac and skeletal muscle, which results in periodic paralysis and symptomatic arrhythmias. Distinctive facial and skeletal features also characterize the disorder. Variability in expression of heterozygous mutation in the KCNJ2 gene and the rarity of the syndrome (estimated worldwide prevalence 1:100.000) may lead to misdiagnosis. The recognition of facial dysmorphic features can improve the early diagnosis of ATS. However, facial features may be mild and they may be easily overlooked on routine physical examination. Today a detailed evaluation of craniofacial structures can be performed through the application of noninvasive 3D image acquisition systems. The study aims to better characterize the facial phenotype of ATS in order to improve the early diagnosis of the syndrome. We studied 4 members of a family with genetically confirmed diagnosis of ATS. Computerized acquisitions of the 3D facial image through stereophotogrammetric procedures were performed on a 39-year-old mother and 3 of her 4 sons (aged 5, 12, and 14 years respectively, the youngest one with a different father) without previous history of craniofacial trauma. From the digital 3D coordinates of 50 landmarks, facial linear distances and angles were com- pared with those collected in healthy subjects matched for age and sex. All members of the family showed 1) larger intercanthal width and smaller length of eye fissure than controls, 2) larger alar base width and smaller nasal tip protrusion, 3) smaller forehead and lower facial height including shorter and wider philtrum, 4) smaller anteroposterior facial distances and wider facial convexities in the horizontal plane. The present family study allowed to better characterize the facial features associated with ATS. The results are in accordance with the already known facial features of the syndrome, except for the extension of the forehead. 3D morphometric facial analysis pointed out characteristics of the philtrum which were not described previously in subjects with ATS, and could be more than a mere somatic familial trait

The face of Glut1-DS patients : A 3D craniofacial morphometric analysis

Introduction - Glut1 deficiency syndrome (Glut1-DS) is a neurological and metabolic disorder caused by impaired transport of glucose across the blood brain barrier (BBB). Mutations on the SCL2A1 gene encoding the glucose transporter protein in the BBB cause the syndrome, which encompasses epilepsy, movement disorders and mental delay. Such variability of symptoms presents an obstacle to early diagnosis. The patients seem to share some craniofacial features, and identification and quantification of these could help in prompt diagnosis and clinical management. Materials and method - We performed a three-dimensional morphometric analysis of the faces of 11 female Glut1-DS patients using a stereophotogrammetric system. Data were analyzed using both inter-landmark distances and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Results - Compared to data collected from age-, sex- and ethnicity-matched control subjects, common and homogenous facial features were identified among patients, which were mainly located in the mandible and the eyes. Glut1-DS patients had a more anterior chin; their mandibular body was longer but the rami were shorter, with a reduced gonial angle; they had smaller and down-slanted eyes with a reduced intercanthal distance. Conclusions - This study highlights the importance of morphometric analysis for defining the facial anatomical characteristics of the syndrome better, potentially helping clinicians to diagnose Glut1-DS. Imnproved knowledge of the facial anatomy of these patients can provide insights into their facial and cerebral embryological development, perhaps further clarifying the molecular basis of the syndrome

Are portable stereophotogrammetric devices reliable in facial imaging? : a validation study of vectra H1 device

PURPOSE: Modern 3-dimensional (3D) image acquisition systems represent a crucial technologic development in facial anatomy because of their accuracy and precision. The recently introduced portable devices can improve facial databases by increasing the number of applications. In the present study, the VECTRA H1 portable stereophotogrammetric device was validated to verify its applicability to 3D facial analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty volunteers underwent 4 facial scans using portable VECTRA H1 and static VECTRA M3 devices (2 for each instrument). Repeatability of linear, angular, surface area, and volume measurements was verified within the device and between devices using the Bland-Altman test and the calculation of absolute and relative technical errors of measurement (TEM and rTEM, respectively). In addition, the 2 scans obtained by the same device and the 2 scans obtained by different devices were registered and superimposed to calculate the root mean square (RMS; point-to-point) distance between the 2 surfaces. RESULTS: Most linear, angular, and surface area measurements had high repeatability in M3 versus M3, H1 versus H1, and M3 versus H1 comparisons (range, 82.2 to 98.7%; TEM range, 0.3 to 2.0 mm, 0.4\ub0 to 1.8\ub0; rTEM range, 0.2 to 3.1%). In contrast, volumes and RMS distances showed evident differences in M3 versus M3 and H1 versus H1 comparisons and reached the maximum when scans from the 2 different devices were compared. CONCLUSION: The portable VECTRA H1 device proved reliable for assessing linear measurements, angles, and surface areas; conversely, the influence of involuntary facial movements on volumes and RMS distances was more important compared with the static device

Componentes prenatal y postnatal de la diferenciación craneofacial entre dos poblaciones humanas

Parte importante de la diferenciación craneofacial interpoblacional ya está presente en etapas tempranas de la ontogenia postnatal. Sin embargo, se desconoce qué parte de la diferenciación se produce en la etapa prenatal. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la diferenciación craneofacial entre dos poblaciones humanas en dos etapas ontogénicas: menores de 1 año de edad y adultos, a fin de determinar que parte de la diferenciación se produce en la etapa prenatal y en la postnatal. Se estudiaron cráneos adultos y menores a 1 año de edad, de origen europeo (EUR) y de poblaciones nativas sudafricanas (SAF). Se registraron 32 landmarks. Las coordenadas tridimensionales se analizaron mediante Análisis Generalizado de Procrustes (AGP) y con las coordenadas obtenidas, se realizó Análisis de Componentes Principales (ACP). El análisis discriminante hecho con los escores AGP/ACP indicó que hay diferenciación entre EUR y SAF en adultos (Wilks=0.12**) y en sub-adultos (Wilks= 0.07**). Según las grillas de deformación, los adultos SAF presentan cráneos mas largos en sentido anteroposterior y prognatismo facial y landmarks laterales del neurocráneo ubicados mas superiormente respecto de EUR; en los sub-adultos se observa diferenciación similar en el neurocráneo, pero poca diferenciación en la cara. Esto indica que la diferenciación en la forma neurocraneana se produce en la ontogenia prenatal y se acentúa posteriormente. La diferenciación facial, en cambio, se produce principalmente durante la ontogenia postnatal.Simposio: Patrones y procesos de diversificación morfológica.Asociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentina (AABRA

Three-dimensional superimposition for patients with facial palsy: an innovative method for assessing the success of facial reanimation procedures

Facial palsy is a severe condition that may be ameliorated by facial reanimation, but there is no consensus about how to judge its success. In this study we aimed to test a new method for assessing facial movements based on 3-dimensional analysis of the facial surfaces. Eleven patients aged between 42 and 77 years who had recently been affected by facial palsy (onset between 6 and 18 months) were treated by an operation based on triple innervation: the masseteric to temporofacial nerve branch, 30% of the hypoglossal fibres to the cervicofacial nerve branch, and the contralateral facial nerve through two cross-face sural nerve grafts. Each patient had five stereophotogrammetric scans: at rest, smiling on the healthy side (facial stimulus), biting (masseteric stimulus), moving the tongue (hypoglossal stimulus), and corner-of-the-mouth smile (Mona Lisa). Each scan was superimposed onto the facial model of the "rest" position, and the point-to-point root mean square (RMS) value was automatically calculated on both the paralysed and the healthy side, together with an index of asymmetry. One-way and two-way ANOVA tests, respectively, were applied to verify the significance of possible differences in the RMS and asymmetry index according to the type of stimulus (p = 0.0329) and side (p < 0.0001). RMS differed significantly according to side between the facial stimulus and the masseteric one on the paralysed side (p = 0.0316). Facial stimulus evoked the most asymmetrical movement, whereas the masseteric produced the most symmetrical expression. The method can be used for assessing facial movements after facial reanimation

Componentes prenatal y postnatal de la diferenciación craneofacial entre dos poblaciones humanas

Parte importante de la diferenciación craneofacial interpoblacional ya está presente en etapas tempranas de la ontogenia postnatal. Sin embargo, se desconoce qué parte de la diferenciación se produce en la etapa prenatal. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la diferenciación craneofacial entre dos poblaciones humanas en dos etapas ontogénicas: menores de 1 año de edad y adultos, a fin de determinar que parte de la diferenciación se produce en la etapa prenatal y en la postnatal. Se estudiaron cráneos adultos y menores a 1 año de edad, de origen europeo (EUR) y de poblaciones nativas sudafricanas (SAF). Se registraron 32 landmarks. Las coordenadas tridimensionales se analizaron mediante Análisis Generalizado de Procrustes (AGP) y con las coordenadas obtenidas, se realizó Análisis de Componentes Principales (ACP). El análisis discriminante hecho con los escores AGP/ACP indicó que hay diferenciación entre EUR y SAF en adultos (Wilks=0.12**) y en sub-adultos (Wilks= 0.07**). Según las grillas de deformación, los adultos SAF presentan cráneos mas largos en sentido anteroposterior y prognatismo facial y landmarks laterales del neurocráneo ubicados mas superiormente respecto de EUR; en los sub-adultos se observa diferenciación similar en el neurocráneo, pero poca diferenciación en la cara. Esto indica que la diferenciación en la forma neurocraneana se produce en la ontogenia prenatal y se acentúa posteriormente. La diferenciación facial, en cambio, se produce principalmente durante la ontogenia postnatal.Simposio: Patrones y procesos de diversificación morfológica.Asociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentina (AABRA

Antimicrobial activity of lipids extracted from Hermetia illucens reared on different substrates

Abstract: As the problem of antimicrobial resistance is constantly increasing, there is a renewed interest in antimicrobial products derived from natural sources, particularly obtained from innovative and eco-friendly materials. Insect lipids, due to their fatty acid composition, can be classified as natural antimicrobial compounds. In order to assess the antibacterial efficacy of Hermetia illucens lipids, we extracted this component from the larval stage, fed on different substrates and we characterized it. Moreover, we analyzed the fatty acid composition of the feeding substrate, to determine if and how it could affect the antimicrobial activity of the lipid component. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive Micrococcus flavus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. Analyzing the fatty acid profiles of larval lipids that showed activity against the two bacterial strains, we detected significant differences for C4:0, C10:0, C16:1, C18:3 n3 (ALA), and C20:1. The strongest antimicrobial activity was verified against Micrococcus flavus by lipids extracted from larvae reared on strawberry, tangerine, and fresh manure substrates, with growth inhibition zones ranged from 1.38 to 1.51&nbsp;mm, while only the rearing on manure showed the effect against Escherichia coli. Notably, the fatty acid profile of H. illucens seems to not be really influenced by the substrate fatty acid profile, except for C18:0 and C18:2 CIS n6 (LA). This implies that other factors, such as the rearing conditions, larval development stages, and other nutrients such as carbohydrates, affect the amount of fatty acids in insects. Key points: • Feeding substrates influence larval lipids and fatty acids (FA) • Generally, there is no direct correlation between substrate FAs and the same larvae FAs • Specific FAs influence more the antimicrobial effect of BSF lipids Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.