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Chinese Individuals (chinese + individual)
Selected AbstractsCleft lip with or without cleft palate and dermatoglyphic asymmetry: evaluation of a Chinese populationORTHODONTICS & CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2002K Neiswanger Structured Abstract Authors , Neiswanger K, Cooper ME, Weinberg SM, Flodman P, Bundens Keglovits A, Liu Y, Hu D-N, Melnick M, Spence MA, Marazita ML Objective , To determine if Chinese individuals with non syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) display more dermatoglyphic asymmetry than unaffected relatives or controls. Design , Case , control study with two control groups (genetically related and unrelated). Setting and Sample Population , A total of 500 CL/P probands from Shanghai, China, 421 unaffected relatives, and 66 controls of Chinese heritage. Methods , Finger and palm prints were collected, and pattern frequencies, total ridge counts (TRC), and atd angles were calculated. Asymmetry scores between right and left hands were defined for each of the three dermatoglyphic measures. Probands' asymmetry scores were compared statistically with the scores of unaffected relatives and controls. Results , In general, the probands' asymmetry scores for TRC and atd angle did not differ significantly from the scores of either unaffected relatives or controls. However, probands with a positive family history of clefting showed significantly more asymmetry in their pattern types than either probands without a family history, unaffected relatives or controls. Conclusion , These results suggest that a unique genetic mechanism of developmental instability may obtain in CL/P individuals with a positive family history of clefting. [source] Sexlessness among Married Chinese Adults in Hong Kong: Prevalence and Associated FactorsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 11 2009Jean H. Kim ScD ABSTRACT Introduction., Despite recent media coverage in the topic of sexless marriages in East Asia, population-based studies examining the absence of sexual activity among nonelderly married individuals are scant. Previous studies have not simultaneously examined sociodemographic, physiological, and lifestyle predictors of sexless marriages. Aims., To determine the prevalence of past-year sexlessness and the associated factors among the married Chinese adults in Hong Kong. Methods., An anonymous, population-based telephone survey was conducted on 2,846 married Chinese men and women between the ages of 25 and 59 in Hong Kong. Main Outcome Measures., The prevalence of past-year sexlessness and the associated factors and mental health symptoms were examined. Results., The prevalence of past-year sexlessness between the ages of 25,34 years, 35,44 years and 45,59 years was 5.5, 5.1, and 17.0%, respectively, among married males, and 8.3, 12.4, and 31.6%, respectively, among married females. Older age and poor spousal relationship were associated with sexlessness for females, whereas lack of interest in sex, older age, and lower education were significant factors for males. Married women demonstrated statistically significant associations between sexlessness and poorer mental health indicators, such as lower quality of life and being bothered by the unavailability of a sex partner. Conclusions., Sexlessness is prevalent among certain subgroups of urban Chinese couples in Hong Kong, and the large discrepancy in sexlessness between married men and women in each age strata suggests a high prevalence of extramarital relationships. Contrary to commonly held beliefs, there was a stronger association between sexlessness and poorer psychosocial symptoms among married females than males. Sexless marriages are an underappreciated phenomenon among urban Chinese individuals. Kim JH, Lau JTF, and Cheuk KK. Sexlessness among married Chinese adults in Hong Kong: Prevalence and associated factors. J Sex Med 2009;6:2997,3007. [source] Intervertebral disc degeneration: New insights based on "skipped" level disc pathologyARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 8 2010Kenneth M. C. Cheung Objective Typically, age and abnormal physical loading ("wear and tear") have been associated with the development of intervertebral disc degeneration. In the past decade, various additional etiologic factors for disc degeneration have been sporadically reported in the literature; however, many investigators continue to place tremendous emphasis on the effects of age and biomechanics associated with disc degeneration. The aim of this study was to provide additional insight into the notion that age and biomechanics are key factors in the development of disc degeneration. To this end, we addressed the prevalence of and risk factors associated with a unique pattern of disc degeneration of the lumbar spine, "skipped" level (nonconsecutive) disc degeneration (SLDD). Methods As part of a large genetics-based study in southern Chinese individuals (n = 1,989), a cross-sectional analysis was performed in subjects exhibiting disc degeneration in ,2 levels (n = 838) who were then categorized as having SLDD (n = 174) or non-SLDD (contiguous, multilevel; n = 664). Various radiographic parameters were assessed based on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subject demographics were assessed, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Overall, 8.7% of the whole population (n = 1,989) had SLDD, while it was present in 20.8% of subjects with multilevel disc degeneration (n = 838). SLDD was more prevalent in male subjects (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.48, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.04,2.10, P = 0.028). SLDD was significantly associated with the presence of Schmorl's nodes (adjusted OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.78,4.15, P < 0.001), which also presented in levels with no disc degeneration. A history of disc bulge/extrusion (P = 0.004) and/or a history of back injury (P = 0.010) was significantly associated with non-SLDD, and a greater degree of overall severity of disc degeneration was also associated with non-SLDD. Other demographic and MRI findings did not significantly differ between groups. Conclusion To our knowledge, this report is the first to describe the prevalence and risk factors associated with SLDD. Our study challenges the paradigm that age and biomechanics are the key factors associated with the development of disc degeneration. Although age and biomechanical factors may play a role in the manifestation of disc degeneration, our novel findings of SLDD patterns provide further awareness of and support for the notion that additional etiologic factors may play a role in the development of disc degeneration. Such factors warrant further investigation to shed light on the cause of disc degeneration. [source] Recognition of Pixelized Chinese Characters Using Simulated Prosthetic VisionARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 3 2007Xinyu Chai Abstract:, The rehabilitation of the reading ability of the blind with a limited number of stimulating electrodes is regarded as one of the major functions of the envisioned visual prosthesis. This article systematically studied how many pixels of individual Chinese characters should be needed for correct and economic recognition by blind Chinese subjects. In this study, 40 normal-sighted subjects were tested on a self-developed platform HanziConvertor (Institute for Laser Medicine & Bio-photonics, Shanghai Jiaotong University, China) with digital imaging processing capacities to convert images of printed text into various pixelized patterns made up of discrete dots, and present them orderly on a computer screen. It was found that various complicated factors such as pixel number, character typeface, stroke number, etc., can obviously affect the recognition accuracy. It was also found that optimal recognition accuracy occurs at a specific size of binary pixel array, due to a trade-off between a strictly limited number of stimulation electrodes and character sampling resolution. The results showed that (i) recognition accuracy of pixelized characters is optimal with at least 12 × 12 binary pixels, and therefore it is recommended to apply a minimum of 150 discrete and functioning electrodes for restoring the reading ability of blind Chinese individuals in the visual prosthesis; (ii) fonts of Song Ti and Hei Ti are clearer and more effective than other typefaces; and (iii) characters with fewer strokes lead to better accuracy. [source] | ||||||||||