Dermatoglyphic total patterns on palms, finger-tips and soles in twins

110 palms of MZ twins and 111 like-sexed pairs of DZ twins have been compared in respect of a concordance rate of the palmar, sole and finger-tip total pattern types. Dermatoglyphic patterns have been classified according to the topological method, and the distributions of the numbers of discordant pattern elements from homolateral, heterolateral and bilateral comparisons in MZ and DZ twins, respectively, are presented. The highest concordance occurs in homolateral comparisons in MZ twins and the lowest in heterolateral comparisons. Bilateral concordance is highest for sole and finger-patterns, while palmar patterns present a considerable degree of dermatoglyphic asymmetry. Palmar, sole and finger-tip patterns are also not alike in homolateral concordance rates within MZ and DZ twin pairs. The differences between MZ and DZ twins are much more pronounced for sole patterns than for palmar or finger-tip patterns, which is also reflected in the estimated H values. For soles, this may be in some way related to the considerable symmetry of patterns. The fact that some pattern elements are intercorrelated may also introduce a bias in estimates of heritability, based on twin material.     

Dermatoglyphic total patterns on palms,finger-tips and soles in twins

110 palms of MZ twins and 111 like-sexed pairs of DZ twins have been compared in respect of a concordance rate of the palmar, sole and finger-tip total pattern types. Dermatoglyphic patterns have been classified according to the topological method, and the distributions of the numbers of discordant pattern elements from homolateral, heterolateral and bilateral comparisons in MZ and DZ twins, respectively, are presented.

The highest concordance occurs in homolateral comparisons in MZ twins and the lowest in heterolateral comparisons. Bilateral concordance is highest for sole and finger-patterns, while palmar patterns present a considerable degree of dermatoglyphic asymmetry.

Palmar, sole and finger-tip patterns are also not alike in homolateral concordance rates within MZ and DZ twin pairs. The differences between MZ and DZ twins are much more pronounced for sole patterns than for palmar or finger-tip patterns, which is also reflected in the estimated H values. For soles, this may be in some way related to the considerable symmetry of patterns. The fact that some pattern elements are intercorrelated may also introduce a bias in estimates of heritability, based on twin material.     

太行山猕猴掌面和跖面的花纹强度

目的:探讨灵长类不同种属间的亲源关系。方法:运用SPSS11.0统计分析软件对所取变量进行多因素方差分析和聚类分析。结果:由多因素方差分析的折线图和聚类分析的聚类图可以得出,无论掌面或跖面,花纹强度在种属间具有一定的相关性和差异性。结论:各种种属都具有自己特征性的肤纹,并有一定的差异性,可以此进行分类,具有一定的分类价值。     

Trainability of cold induced vasodilatation in fingers and toes

Subjects that repeatedly have to expose the extremities to cold may benefit from a high peripheral temperature to maintain dexterity and tissue integrity. Therefore, we investigated if repeated immersions of a hand and a foot in cold water resulted in increased skin temperatures. Nine male and seven female subjects (mean 20.4; SD 2.2 years) immersed their right (trained) hand and foot simultaneously in 8°C water, 30 min daily for 15 days. During the pre and post-test (days 1 and 15, respectively) the left (untrained) hand and foot were immersed as well. Pain, tactile sensitivity and skin temperatures were measured every day. Mean (SD) toe temperature of the trained foot increased from 9.49°C (0.89) to 10.03°C (1.38) (p < 0.05). The trained hand, however, showed a drop in mean finger temperature from 9.28°C (0.54) to 8.91°C (0.44) (p < 0.001) and the number of cold induced vasodilation (CIVD) reactions decreased from 52% during the first test to 24% during the last test. No significant differences occurred in the untrained extremities. Pain diminished over time and tactile sensitivity decreased with skin temperature. The combination of less CIVD responses in the fingers after training, reduced finger skin temperatures in subjects that did show CIVD and the reduced pain and tactile sensitivity over time may lead to an increased risk for finger cold injuries. It is concluded that repeated cold exposure of the fingers does not lead to favorable adaptations, but may instead increase the injury risk.     

Imagery of voluntary movement of fingers, toes, and tongue activates corresponding body-part-specific motor representations

We investigate whether imagery of voluntary movements of different body parts activates somatotopical sections of the human motor cortices. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to detect the cortical activity when 7 healthy subjects imagine performing repetitive (0.5-Hz) flexion/extension movements of the right fingers or right toes, or horizontal movements of the tongue. We also collected functional images when the subjects actually executed these movements and used these data to define somatotopical representations in the motor areas. In this study, we relate the functional activation maps to cytoarchitectural population maps of areas 4a, 4p, and 6 in the same standard anatomical space. The important novel findings are 1). that imagery of hand movements specifically activates the hand sections of the contralateral primary motor cortex (area 4a) and the contralateral dorsal premotor cortex (area 6) and a hand representation located in the caudal cingulate motor area and the most ventral part of the supplementary motor area; 2). that when imagining making foot movements, the foot zones of the posterior part of the contralateral supplementary motor area (area 6) and the contralateral primary motor cortex (area 4a) are active; and 3). that imagery of tongue movements activates the tongue region of the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex bilaterally (areas 4a, 4p, and 6). These results demonstrate that imagery of action engages the somatotopically organized sections of the primary motor cortex in a systematic manner as well as activating some body-part-specific representations in the nonprimary motor areas. Thus the content of the mental motor image, in this case the body part, is reflected in the pattern of motor cortical activation.     

Psoriasis vs allergic contact dermatitis in palms and soles: a quantitative histologic and immunohistochemical study

Cesinaro AM, Nannini N, Migaldi M, Pepe P, Maiorana A. Psoriasis vs allergic contact dermatitis in palms and soles: a quantitative histologic and immunohistochemical study. APMIS 2009; 117: 629–34. A systematic histologic and immunohistochemical study of cases of psoriasis (PSO) and allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in palmo‐plantar skin was performed to find differences between these two diseases that usually show overlapping features in these specific sites. Skin biopsies from 42 (22 female, 20 male) patients were evaluated for several histopathologic parameters and immunohistochemistry was applied to quantify keratinocytic proliferation, the number of dendritic cells (DCs) and the phenotype of the mononuclear cell infiltrate. Regular epidermal hyperplasia and marked parakeratosis were found to be more frequent in PSO than in ACD cases, but only the first parameter reached the level of significance (p = 0.03). The number of S100 protein‐positive DCs was significantly higher in ACD (p = 0.006), whereas keratinocytic proliferation, studied with Mib‐1, was found to be higher in PSO than in ACD, but the difference was not statistically significant. No significant difference was detected in the number of CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and bcl2⁺ lymphocytes in PSO and ACD cases. In the palms and soles, the finding of irregular epidermal hyperplasia and the detection of a higher number of S100 protein‐positive DCs favor the diagnosis of ACD over PSO. The differential diagnosis between PSO and ACD can be practically approached using a histopathologic parameter and a commercially available antibody.     

Birth order effects and their implications for child care research and programs

Using previously collected data on the effects of different child care environments on children 4 to 5 1/2 years old, results supporting Zajonc and Markus's confluence model of the interactive effects of family size, birth order, and age between siblings as predictors of intelligence were found for only children. Consistent with an ecological perspective, family patterns were seen as important in evaluating the impact of different child care modalities and in finding optimal child care settings for children from different family structures.     

Asymmetrical coronal synostosis,cutaneous syndactyly of the fingers and toes,and jejunal atresia in a male infant

We report on a male infant with an unusual type of acrocephalosyndactyly presenting with unilateral coronal craniosynostosis, cutaneous syndactyly of toes 2 and 3, loss of distal triradii, and transverse alignment of dermal ridges of the palm suggesting syndactyly, atresia of the proximal jejunum, and anal stenosis. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Three masures of death anxiety: Birth order effects and concurrent validity

Investigated the concurrent validity of three measures of death anxiety and the effect of birth order on death anxiety as measured by each of the scales- Ss were 100 undergraduate students at a large, private, midwestern university. Results showed significant intercorrelations (p <0.001) among the three scales; only one scale (Templer) differentiated first-born and only children from later-born children. The former had higer death anxiety scores (p <0.05).     

藏族和汉族青年人群掌指形态特征分析

目的探讨西藏地区常人的手掌长度、宽度和厚度等特征,为补充体育科学、体质人类学基础资料和相关临床(行为)评估提供参考数据。方法利用活体测量法,选择拉萨市自愿参加的大学生为研究对象。有效调查对象216例,年龄18~24岁,平均年龄(22.12±3.06)岁,其中男性136例(藏族64例,汉族72例),女性80例(藏族40例,汉族40例)。采用电子游标卡尺测量被试者左侧手长、指长和掌长等27项直接测量指标;通过手长和手宽计算手长宽指数和手面积等2项间接指标。结果藏族男性与汉族男性比较,手长、掌厚和手长宽指数差异存在显著性(P<0.05,0.01);藏族女性与汉族女性比较,手长、手背长、手宽、掌长、掌宽、拇指长、示指长、中指长、环指长、小指长、拇指指关节宽、中指近侧指关节宽、中指远侧指关节宽、环指近侧指关节宽、中指近侧指关节厚和手面积差异存在显著性(P<0.05,0.01)。藏族青年掌指形态不同性别间比较,除掌厚、掌尺侧厚和手长宽指数外(P>0.05),其他测量指标值均为男性大于女性(P<0.05,0.01);汉族青年掌指形态不同性别间比较,除掌宽和手长宽指数外(P>0.05),其他测量指标值均为男性大于女性(P<0.05,0.01)。结论藏族男青年的掌指形态较汉族呈现出手掌较厚和手长略短的特点,藏族女青年的掌指形态在长度、宽度和厚度上小于汉族女青年。女性掌指形态在长度、宽度和厚度上均小于男性。     

Craniosynostosis,Philadelphia type: A new autosomal dominant syndrome with sagittal craniosynostosis and syndactyly of the fingers and toes

The acrocephalosyndactyly syndromes (ACS) are a group of clinically similar disorders that share the manifestations of craniosynostosis and a variety of hand and foot anomalies. Here we report on a 5-generation kindred segregating sagittal craniosynostosis and syndactyly of the fingers and the toes in an autosomal dominant manner. The anomalies seen in this kindred comprise a syndrome distinct from other craniosynostosis syndromes. For this novel syndrome, we propose the name craniosynostosis, Philadelphia type. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.