FACSGen: a tool to synthesize emotional facial expressions through systematic manipulation of facial action units

To investigate the perception of emotional facial expressions, researchers rely on shared sets of photos or videos, most often generated by actor portrayals. The drawback of such standardized material is a lack of flexibility and controllability, as it does not allow the systematic parametric manipulation of specific features of facial expressions on the one hand, and of more general properties of the facial identity (age, ethnicity, gender) on the other. To remedy this problem, we developed FACSGen: a novel tool that allows the creation of realistic synthetic 3D facial stimuli, both static and dynamic, based on the Facial Action Coding System. FACSGen provides researchers with total control over facial action units, and corresponding informational cues in 3D synthetic faces. We present four studies validating both the software and the general methodology of systematically generating controlled facial expression patterns for stimulus presentation.

Hipossalivação e seus fatores de risco em idosos funcionalmente independentes e não institucionalizados

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors related to hyposalivation among non-institutionalized independently living elderly people, living in Natal-RN, Brazil. The study was a control-case type and the data collection was accomplished by carrying a questionnaire, oral examination and a non-stimulated and stimulated sialometry. The cases were identified by values of salivary flow rate <0,1mL/min and stimulated ≤ 0,5 mL/min, and the controls were by observing the values of sialometry that were bigger than the previously defined parameters. Age and gender were used as pairing variables. The data were analyzed using X2 (α = 0,05) and odds ratio. The sample was composed of 98,1% female and 1,9% male, with mean age 68. There was not association between hyposalivation and the following studied variables: income, schooling, profession, dwelling conditions, domiciliary density, illness, number of teeth and use of prothesis. However, a link was found between hyposalivation and smoking frequency in the passet (OR=5,14), indicating that, referring to elderly people, the tabagism frequency habit was a risk factor to the studied condition. Therefore, refering to non-institutionalized independently elderly people, economic-social-demographic conditions, general and bucal health, diet and habits such as alcoholism have been not risk factors to hyposalivation. However, people that have been smoking have more risk to have the studied conditions

Edentulismo funcional e seus fatores de risco em adultos

The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors to the functional edentulism in adults aged 35 a 44 years old of Natal-RN, 278 adults took part in the study. They were all selected from a previous dental loss prevalence study thus being complemented by an active research. The study was a case-control based and data collection was made though a survey as well as with a clinical examination. The cases were identified through individuals with 20 or more teeth. Age and gender were used as variables of pairing off. The data was analyzed through chi-square, significant level of 95% to the checking of its force associations. The independent variables were grouped in three levels. The first one, more macro, is related to the region where the individual lives, which was also related to the second level, the family-based one, linked with a third level, at this low socio-economical level, where the domiciliary density was favorable, living in capital cities, regions with prime sanitary condicitions, with predominant possibility of accessing the public dental service, but in despite of this, only looking for this service when tooth ache is felt, where preferentially an aid dressing treatment is executed in detriment of preventive procedures. From all the samples, less than 25% of the individuals make use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages for quite a number of years. There was an association of functional edentulism with all the studied variables in a regional method. In the family-based with Critério Brasil (OR=4,45) and monthly wages (OR=9,62) and to an to an individual level, the associations took place with the current use of kind of attendance (OR=1,78), looks for dressing treatment (OR=2,51), does not look for preventive treatment (OR=3,31), pain as the main cause of demand (OR=1,92), previous treatment as the demanding reason for dental service (OR+0,28), interval of the last visit to the dental service (OR=1,35) and when advise was received (OR=1,66). It was noticed from the results that the functional edentulism is much more expressive in those families which live in environments with precarious social economical sanitary conditions. Such conditions seem to have a direct influence upon the family social economical conditions which are also shown in detriment to functional edentulism. In the same way, the collection of variants influence the social economical conditions of the individual, as well as the kind of dental service searched by them, the reason of the search and the interval of the last visit to the dental service were strong determiners to the functional edentulism. Beyond that, individual habits like the use of tobacco and its frequency on its previous use influenced in a significant way the existence of functional edentulism in the studied population

Doença periodontal e angina pectoris estável: um estudo caso-controle

The search which it aim was to analyze the Periodontal Disease as a risk factor for the development of the Stable Angina Pectoris. For that, 120 patients (52 blokes and 68 wenches ), ages ranging from 40 to 65 years old, and attended to the Hemodinamic´s Sector of the Natal Hospital Center, showing the historic of Angina Pectoris to accomplishment of cinecoronariografhy. Before the accomplishment of this exam, the patients were submitted to interview, to investigate the possible risk factors for the Cardiovascular diseases , and it was followed of clinical periodontal examination to evaluate the presence of Periodontal Disease. After the cinecoronariography, the patients who presented diagnosis of important arterial obstruction (above 70%) were enrolled to the case grup. However the individuals with arteries free of obstruction, or obstrution below 30%, were considered without historic of Cardiovascular disease and therefore enrolled for the control grup. The groups were paired by the variables age and gender. From the analysis of the results, a did not observed statisticment the significant association between the presence of the Periodontal Disease, probing depth, periodontal attachment level, severity and extension index of the Periodontal Disease, besides the visible plaque index (VPI) an gingival bleeding index (GBI) regarding to the existence of Stable Angina Pectoris. Nevertheless , it was identified statisticment the significant association between the sistemic arterial hypertension , seric level of total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides, showing all of them, classic risk factors appointed by the literature. Therefore, it was conclued that Periodontal Disease did not represent association with the StableAngina Pectoris at least among the studied population

Consequences of Chronic Nasal Obstruction on the Laryngeal Mucosa and Voice Quality of 4- to 12-Year-Old Children

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

DNA damage in lymphocytes and buccal mucosa cells of children with malignant tumours undergoing chemotherapy

The aim of the present study was to evaluate DNA damage (micronucleus) in cytokinesis-blocked lymphocytes and exfoliated buccal mucosa cells from children with malignant tumours and under chemotherapy. Micronucleated cells (MNCs) were assessed from children before and during chemotherapy. A total of 21 healthy children (controls), matched for gender and age, were used as control. The results pointed out higher frequencies of micronucleated lymphocytes in children with malignant tumour before any therapy when compared to healthy probands. Furthermore an increase of micronucleated lymphocytes during chemotherapy was detected when compared to the data obtained before chemotherapy. No statistically significant increases of MNCs were noticed in buccal mucosa cells at any of the timepoints evaluated. Taken together, these data indicate that the presence of malignant tumours may increase the frequency of DNA damage in circulating lymphocytes, these cells being more sensitive for detecting chromosome aberrations caused by anti-cancer drugs.

Respiratory muscular strength decrease in children with mylomeningocele

Study Design. Case-control study.Objective. To evaluate respiratory muscle force in children with myelomeningocele. Summary of Background Data. Myelomeningocele is a common spinal cord malformation with limitations linked to central nervous system lesions and abnormalities in respiratory movements. Despite this, little attention has been given to evaluating respiratory muscle force in these patients.Methods. Children with myelomeningocele aged between 4 and 14 years ( myelomeningocele group; MG, n = 20) were studied and compared with healthy children ( control group; CG, n = 20) matched for age and gender. Respiratory muscular force was evaluated by maximum inspiratory ( Pimax) and expiratory ( Pemax) pressures.Results. Groups were similar for age [ CG = 8 ( 6 - 13) = MG = 8 ( 4 - 14), P > 0.05]; gender, and body mass index [ CG = 17.4 ( 14.1 - 24.7) x MG = 19.2 ( 12.6 - 31.9), P > 0.05]. The lumbosacral region was predominantly affected ( 45%). Maximum respiratory pressures were significantly higher in CG than MG ( Pimax = CG: similar to 83 +/- 21.75 > MG: -54.1 +/- 23.66; P < 0.001 and Pemax = CG: + 87.4 +/- 26.28 > MG: + 64.6 +/- 26.97; P = 0.01). Patients with upper spinal lesion ( UL) had lower maximum respiratory pressure values than those with lower spinal lesion ( LL), [Pimax ( UL = - 38.33 +/- 11.20 cm H2O x LL = - 60.85 +/- 24.62 cm H2O), P < 0.041 and Pemax ( UL = + 48 +/- 20.82 cm H2O x LL + 71.71 +/- 26.73 cm H2O), P = 0.067]).Conclusion. Children with myelomeningocele at the ages studied presented reduced respiratory muscle force with more compromise in upper spinal lesion.

Prevalência de sobrepeso/obesidade em crianças e adolescentes com constipação crônica funcional

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência do sobrepeso/obesidade em um grupo de crianças com constipação crônica funcional. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo com 257 crianças de dois a 15 anos com constipação crônica funcional diagnosticada segundo critérios de Roma II, atendidas consecutivamente em clínica terciária de gastroenterologia pediátrica. Informações demográficas, clínicas, diagnósticas e antropométricas foram obtidas de prontuários. O índice de massa corporal (IMC) foi calculado e utilizou-se a referência do Centers for Disease Control para determinar o percentil de IMC para idade e gênero. Crianças com percentil de IMC>85 foram consideradas com sobrepeso/obesidade; as com percentis > 5 e <85 foram classificadas como eutróficas. RESULTADOS: Para as variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas, não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre os subgrupos sobrepeso/obesidade e eutrofia. A prevalência de crianças constipadas com sobrepeso/obesidade foi de 24,4%. A média dos percentis do subgrupo sobrepeso/obesidade foi 94,4±4,3; a das eutróficas foi 45,3±24,2. A prevalência de sobrepeso/obesidade foi similar em ambos os sexos e grupos etários (<7 anos e >7 anos). CONCLUSÕES: Os subgrupos dos eutróficos e sobrepeso/obesidade foram homogêneos nas características sociodemográficas e clínicas, sugerindo que tais variáveis não influenciaram na prevalência do excesso de peso. A prevalência estimada de sobrepeso/obesidade entre as crianças com constipação crônica funcional está dentro dos valores esperados para a população pediátrica brasileira.

Influence of intentional ankylosis of deciduous canines to reinforce the anchorage for maxillary protraction

INTRODUÇÃO: nesse estudo cefalométrico retrospectivo, analisou-se a influência da anquilose intencional de caninos decíduos em pacientes com má oclusão de Classe III e mordida cruzada anterior, nos estágios de dentição decídua e mista precoce, tratados com expansão ortopédica da maxila, seguida de tração reversa. MÉTODOS: foram utilizadas telerradiografias em norma lateral de 40 pacientes, divididos em 2 grupos pareados por idade e sexo. O Grupo Anquilose foi constituído de 20 pacientes (10 meninos e 10 meninas) tratados com anquilose induzida e que apresentavam as idades médias inicial e final, respectivamente, de 7a 4m e 8a 3m, e o tempo médio de tração reversa de 11 meses. O Grupo Controle, composto de 20 pacientes (10 meninos e 10 meninas) tratados sem anquilose induzida e que apresentavam as idades médias inicial de 7a 8m e final de 8a 7m, e tempo médio de tração reversa de 11 meses. Foram empregadas as análises de Variância a dois critérios e de Covariância para comparar as variáveis cefalométricas inicial e final e as alterações de tratamento entre os grupos. RESULTADOS: segundo os resultados, as variáveis que evidenciaram as mudanças de tratamento significativas entre os grupos confirmaram que o procedimento de anquilose intencional potencializou a resposta sagital das bases apicais (Pg-NPerp) e aumentou os ângulos de convexidade facial (NAP e ANB). CONCLUSÃO: o protocolo envolvendo a anquilose intencional de caninos decíduos potencializou a resposta sagital das bases apicais.

Características clínicas e laboratoriais associadas à nefroangioesclerose hipertensiva confirmada por biópsia renal

Introdução: A nefroangioesclerose hipertensiva é importante causa de doença renal crônica com necessidade de diálise. As características que distinguem um portador de hipertensão arterial que evolui com nefroangioesclerose de outro que mantém função renal estável não são bem estabelecidas, devido à dificuldade em assegurar que os portadores daquela doença não sejam, na verdade, portadores de glomerulopatias ou outras doenças renais confundíveis. Dessa maneira, o objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar características clínicas ou laboratoriais que distingam os pacientes que desenvolveram doença renal crônica a partir da hipertensão, confirmada por biópsia renal, daqueles que, mesmo apresentando hipertensão arterial, não desenvolveram nefroangioesclerose. Métodos: Realizou-se comparação retrospectiva de dados clínicos e laboratoriais de 15 portadores de nefroangioesclerose hipertensiva confirmada por biópsia renal e 15 hipertensos oriundos do ambulatório do Centro de Hipertensão Arterial, cuja ausência de nefroangioesclerose foi definida pela ausência de proteinúria. Os grupos foram pareados quanto à idade e gênero. Resultados: Dentre as variáveis avaliadas, tempo de hipertensão arterial, pressão de pulso, glicemia, ácido úrico, creatinina e frequência de uso de diuréticos e simpatolíticos diferiram estatisticamente entre os dois grupos. Todas essas variáveis apresentaram valores maiores no grupo com nefroangioesclerose hipertensiva. Conclusão: O presente estudo associa a nefroangioesclerose hipertensiva, confirmada por biópsia, com alterações metabólicas, duração e intensidade da hipertensão e corrobora a ideia de que a prevenção primária da hipertensão arterial, postergando o seu início, o controle pressórico mais estrito, quando a hipertensão já está estabelecida, bem como o controle metabólico têm a potencialidade de prevenir o desenvolvimento de nefroangioesclerose hipertensiva.

Muscle strength assessment among children and adolescents with growing pains and joint hypermobility

OBJETIVO: Avaliar, por meio de teste quantitativo, a força muscular em crianças e adolescentes com dores de crescimento, associada ou não com hipermobilidade articular e comparadas com controles saudáveis. MÉTODO: Quarenta e sete casos de crianças e adolescentes acompanhados por dores de crescimento, sendo 24 com hipermobilidade articular (DC-HA), 23 sem hipermobilidade articular (DC) e 47 controles saudáveis pareados por idade e gênero foram submetidos a dois testes quantitativos para a avaliação da força muscular, o Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale (CMAS) e o Manual Muscle Strength Test (MMT). Os dados antropométricos como altura, peso, índice de massa corporal, prega cutânea tricipital, circunferência média do braço e a área muscular do braço foram comparados entre os três grupos. RESULTADOS: Os três grupos não apresentaram diferença estatística entre as medidas antropométricas. Houve diferença significante entre a mediana da pontuação do CMAS, sendo menores no grupo DC (47, mínimo e máximo 39-52) e DC-HA (46, mínimo e máximo 40-51), comparados com controles (50, mínimo e máximo 45-52; p<0,0001). Dois dos exercícios cronometrados do CMAS, a elevação da cabeça e a duração da elevação das pernas, tiveram menor pontuação nos pacientes comparados aos controles (p<0.0001). A pontuação mediana do MMT no grupo DC (79, mínimo e máximo 73-80) e DC-HA (78, mínimo e máximo 32-80) também apresentou diferença significante, sendo menor nos pacientes que nos controles (80, mínimo e máximo 78-80; p<0,0001). A melhor correlação entre a pontuação do CMAS e MMT foi no grupo DC-HA (Spearman r=0,65; p=0,0007). A aplicação do CMAS e MMT em duas ocasiões apresentou boa concordância e coeficiente de correlação intraclasse de 0,87 (IC 95% 0,64-0,96; p<0,0001) e 0,92 (IC 95% 0,76-0,97; p<0,0001), respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: Os pacientes com dores de crescimento com ou sem hipermobilidade articular apresentaram fraqueza muscular de leve a moderada quando comparados com controles saudáveis.

Residual signal auto-correlation to evaluate speech in Parkinson's disease patients

Objective: To evaluate the maximum residual signal auto-correlation also known as pitch amplitude (PA) values in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Method. The signals of 21 Parkinson's patients were compared with 15 healthy individuals, divided according age and gender. Results: Statistical difference was seen between groups for PA, 0.39 for controls and 0.25 for PD. Normal value threshold was set as 0.3; (p <= 0.001). In the Parkinson's group 80.77%, and in the control group only 12.28%, had a PA < 0.3 demonstrating an association between these variables. The dispersion diagram for age and PA for PD individuals showed p=0.01 and r=0.54. There was no significant difference in relation to gender and PA between groups: Conclusion: the significant differences in pitch's amplitude between PD patients and healthy individuals demonstrate the methods specificity.-The results showed the need of prospective controlled studies,to improve the use and indications of residual signal auto-correlation to evaluate speech in PD patients.

Liver HLA-G expression is associated with multiple clinical and histopathological forms of chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ventricular Systolic Reserve in Asymptomatic Children Previously Treated With Low Doses of Anthracyclines

Doppler echocardiography has been used for the diagnosis of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. However, few data are available that include asymptomatic children previously treated with a low cumulative dose of this drug and therefore have a low risk of cardiac dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate after-exercise cardiac function in asymptomatic children previously treated with a low cumulative dose of anthracycline and no clinical or laboratory evidence of cardiotoxicity. Doppler echocardiography was performed before and immediately after physical exercise in 29 children aged 5 to 17 years (anthracycline [ADRIA] group). All had finished cancer treatment with anthracycline derivatives for ≥1 year (cumulative dose 100 mg/m2). Results were compared with those from age- and gender-matched healthy children (control group; n = 26) using the Mann-Whitney rank test. Exercise-induced cardiac function changes within groups were analyzed using Wilcoxon's signed-rank test. Exercise induced significant increases in left ventricular systolic function indexes in both groups. However, the ADRIA group had significantly lower changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (ADRIA group 0.71 ± 0.02 vs 0.80 ± 0.04 and control group 0.71 ± 0.02 vs 0.89 ± 0.05, p = 0.0017) and end-systolic stress-volume index (ADRIA group 4.59 ± 0.69 vs 6.4 ± 2.0 g.cm-2/ml.m-2 and control group 5.49 ± 0.98 vs 11.54 ± 2.86 g.cm-2/ml.m-2; p <0.0001), indicating decreased functional systolic reserve. In conclusion, asymptomatic children previously treated with low cumulative doses of anthracycline had decreased functional systolic reserve evidenced by exercise, suggesting a nonclinically manifested cardiotoxicity. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Periodontal condition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

The purpose of this clinical study was to investigate if periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are associated. The study included 39 RA patients (test group) and 22 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals (control group). Questionnaires on general and oral health were applied and a complete periodontal exam, including visible plaque, marginal bleeding, attachment loss (AL) and number of teeth present, was also performed by a single calibrated examiner. Diabetes mellitus patients and smokers were excluded. RA patients had fewer teeth, higher prevalence of sites presenting dental plaque and a higher frequency of sites with advanced attachment loss. Although the prevalence of dental plaque was higher in the test group (Chi-square test, p = 0.0006), the percentage of sites showing gingival bleeding was not different (Fisher's exact test, p > 0.05). Based on our results, we suggest that there is an association between periodontal disease and RA.