Prevalence and natural history of periodontal disease in Scotland – The mediaeval period (900–1600 A. D.)

The periodontal status of a Scottish medieval population was studied. No individual over the age of 11 years had an entirely healthy periodontium. While gingivitis was widespread in the younger age groups, it was essentially a "contained" gingivitis which appeared to progress towards a periodontitis at a fairly constant but slow rate. The pattern of prevalence and distribution of gingivitis and periodontitis was similar to many modern epidemiological studies on natural dentitions but did not support the view that the prevalence of periodontitis in historic material was high. A small proportion of individuals appeared to be either susceptible or resistant to periodontal disease. It was concluded that the study of historic material provides valuable information with regard to the natural history of human periodontal disease.     

Mathematical aspects of the paternity index I=X/Y,especially in relation to the chance of non-exclusion of non-fathers

Summary In a previous paper the author mentioned some aspects of the paternity index I (=X/Y): Among false triplets the frequency of those with I equal to or higher than an (observed) I value of I ^x is considerably lower than 1/I ^x; among false triplets the mean value of I is equal to 1, and among non-excluded non-fathers it is equal to the inverse of the chance of non-exclusion; among true triplets the mean value of 1/I (=i) is equal to the chance of non-exclusion of non-fathers. In a statistical material rather strong deviations from some of these expectations were observed.In the present paper further characteristics of the distribution of I values were taken into consideration, and especially those that should hold if lnI would fit in with a normal distribution. It was supposed that with the aid of such a distribution the deviations mentioned above could be recognized as chance variability. It appears, however, that neither the logarithms of the paternity index, nor those of the zygosity index of twins (chosen as an analogous model that is more easily analysable than the paternity index) are really normally distributed. This, in turn, makes that estimates of probability of paternity, based on such a supposition, are of doubtful reliability. Besides it is concluded that also for other reasons other estimates than Essen-Möller's W (or I or i), as probability of first type errors, lead in practice to conclusions that are equally subdue to a priori suppositions as are W values and may be, in fact, much more erroneous than those.Special attention is paid to the statistical analysis of paternity studies with more than one alleged father, and it is concluded that in such cases the general formula that may be considered to be equivalent with Essen-Möller's formula for one-man paternity cases, i.e., W=X/(X+Y) or I/(I+1), must be W ₁=I ₁/(I+n); W ₂=I ₂/(I+n) etc. and certainly not W ₁=I ₁/(I+1); W ₂=I ₂/(I+1) etc.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Erik Essen-Möller on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

Quantitative analysis of paradoxical inward rib cage movement during sleep in children

Paradoxical inward rib cage movement in children is quantified by the labored breathing index (LBI) on the respiratory inductive plethysmography. Labored breathing index during rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) in 59 children without obvious sleep disordered breathing (SDB) declined with age, and decreased to the mature low level at 35 months of age. The LBI was also found to reflect well the severity of SDB. Paradoxical inward rib cage movement, which was quantified by LBI, is concluded to be an important finding in diagnosing SDB in child patients.     

Esophageal pressure and apnea hypopnea index in sleep-disordered breathing

Severity of negative esophageal pressure (Pes) and apnea hypopnea index (AHI) were investigated in six cases of upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) and 11 cases of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The severity of negative Pes was represented by the highest peak (Pes Max) and the number of increased episodes (more than 13.5 cmH2O) per h (NPesI13.5). There was no significant correlation between Pes indices and AHI. Pes Max and NPesI13.5 were not different among severe OSAS (AHI > 30), mild OSAS (AHI < 30) and UARS. Apnea hypopnea index failed to represent the severity of negative Pes, which is an important aspect of the pathophysiology of sleep-disordered breathing.     

Body mass index percentiles among adolescent girls living in Edirne, Turkey

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI) is the simplest way to measure obesity; therefore, it is chosen by many authorities as a screening method for adolescent obesity. Body mass index is positively correlated with the complications of childhood and adolescent obesity, such as hypercholesterolemia, insulin resistance, hyper-tension and long-term development of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to produce percentile curves for bodyweight, height and BMI in a representative sample of adolescent girls living in urban and rural areas of Edirne, Turkey, and to compare these percentile curves with curves from other countries. METHODS: The present study was a cross-sectional study, including a representative sample of 1687 adolescent girls from rural and urban areas of Edirne, who were evaluated between May and July 2001. Bodyweight and height were measured using standard procedures. Body mass index (kg/m2) was calculated as the ratio of bodyweight to body height squared. Smoothed percentiles for these variables were calculated using polynominal regression models. Crude weight, height and BMI percentile values, as well as smoothed percentile curves are presented. RESULTS: Body mass index, weight and height reference curves for adolescent girls were produced. When we compared the BMI values of subjects in the present study with those of other countries, 85th and 95th percentiles of BMI in the present study were found to be generally lower than those for other ethnicities. CONCLUSION: Our findings show ethnic differences in BMI among adolescent girls. It will be usefull for each country to produce its own BMI percentiles.     

结直肠癌组织中Survivin表达与细胞增殖的关系

目的 :探讨结直肠癌组织中Survivin表达的临床病理学意义及其与癌细胞增殖的关系。方法 :免疫组织化学染色方法 (SP法 )检测 10 6例结直肠癌组织中Survivin、Ki 6 7、P5 3的表达 ,分析Survivin表达与Ki 6 7增殖指数、P5 3表达及各临床病理因素的关系。结果 :Survivin阳性表达结直肠癌的Ki 6 7增殖指数 (4 1.31%± 19.83% )明显高于Survivin阴性者 (2 6 .2 1%± 2 0 .36 % ) ,Survivin表达与肿瘤细胞增殖呈正相关 (P <0 .0 5 )。Survivin表达与P5 3表达无显著相关。Survivin在结直肠癌组织中的表达率为 6 4 .2 % (6 8/10 6例 ) ,癌旁形态学正常的结直肠粘膜未见Survivin表达 ;Survivin在中高分化结直肠癌表达阳性率 72 .4 % (6 3/87例 ) ,明显高于低分化结直肠癌 (2 6 .3% ,5 /19例 ) ,P <0 .0 5。此外 ,Survivin表达与患者性别、肿瘤位置、浸润深度、淋巴结转移、远处转移以及Dukes’分期无显著相关 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论 :凋亡抑制蛋白Survivin在结直肠癌组织中阳性表达率为 6 4 .2 % ,与细胞分化程度有关 ,可促进结直肠癌细胞的增殖     

Changes in patterns of left ventricular hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis and regurgitation with St. Jude Medical cardiac valves

In this study, we analyzed the extent and pattern of regression of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and compared the results with those of another group of patients with aortic regurgitation (AR). Seventy patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 was comprised of 29 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis, and Group 2 of 41 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation. A third group of 10 healthy subjects served as a healthy control group. Echocardiographic studies were done before the operation and 5 years postoperatively. At follow-up, a significant reduction in the left ventricular mass was found in both groups, but it remained significantly greater than in the healthy control group. The ratio of LV wall thickness to radius (th/r) in Group 1 decreased significantly, and at follow-up it was within the normal value. In Group 2, the th/r ratio increased, and at follow-up it was within the normal value. After aortic valve replacement, the wall thickness remained significantly greater than normal for patients with AS, and the chamber radius remained significantly greater than normal for patients with AR. For these reasons, LV hypertrophy still existed in both groups at postoperative follow-up. The actuarial survival rate was 85.3% at 16 years for Group 1 and 83.4% at 18 years for Group 2. There was no significant difference in the long-term survival rates between the 2 groups. Actuarial freedom from valve-related events was 91.9% at 16 years for Group 1 and 82% at 18 years for Group 2. There was no significant difference in the valve-related event free curves between groups. After 5 years of follow-up, th/r reached normal for both groups, indicating remodeling of the LV geometry after aortic valve replacement.     

Uterine myomas and factors associated with hysterectomy in premenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to describe clinical characteristics in premenopausal women with uterine myomas and to identify factors associated with hysterectomy.STUDY DESIGN: Data were collected by chart abstraction in 421 premenopausal women with myomas and analyzed by univariate and multivariable regression.RESULTS: Over a median follow-up period of 29 months, 86% of women had symptoms associated with myomas and 40% had an increase in uterine size of >2 gestational weeks. By multivariable regression, bleeding symptoms at presentation and previous surgical history of cholecystectomy and adhesiolysis were significantly associated with greater odds of hysterectomy. There was a significant interaction between age and uterine size, so that as age increased, uterine size had a greater impact on the likelihood of hysterectomy.CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of premenopausal women myomas were associated with symptoms in almost all women over the follow-up period. Hysterectomy was performed in 22% of women overall. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1997;176:1213-9.)     

肿瘤内血流检测对卵巢肿瘤定性诊断的研究

目的：评价多普勒血流显象技术检测卵巢肿瘤内血流定性诊断卵巢肿瘤的价值。方法：对疑诊卵巢肿瘤的75例（其中53例卵巢良性肿瘤和22例恶性肿瘤）于术前1w内行C超检查及肿瘤内血流检测，并与术后组织病理学诊断对照。结果：53例卵巢良性肿瘤中的21例（39．62％）及22例卵巢恶性肿瘤中的21例（95．45％）C超均显示其结构鼻常；在21例卵巢良性肿瘤内检测到血流高峰收缩速度（PSV）的均值为14．2±8．1cm／s，阻抗指数（RI）均值为0．478±0．119。当以PSV＝16cm／s为卵巢良、恶性肿瘤的界值时，PSV诊断卵巢恶性肿瘤的敏感性和特异性率分别为90．91％和90．57％；当以RI＝0．72为卵巢良、恶性肿瘤的界值时，RI诊断卵巢恶性肿瘤的敏感性和特异性率分别为86．36％和69．81％；C超诊断卵巢恶性肿瘤的敏感性和特异性率分别为95．45％和71．70％。三者的敏感性差异无显著性，而PSV诊断卵巢恶性肿瘤的特异性率明显高于RI和C超检查者，差异具有显著性（P＜0．05）。结论：用多普勒血流显象技术检测卵巢肿瘤内异常。流的PSV，对预测卵巢肿瘤性质具有一定的临床意义。