Caliper Rule Research Articles

Proposta para determinação do tipo facial a partir da antropometria

To describe orofacial indexes and proportions in adults, according to facial type and gender, and to verify the possibility to establish a way of classifying face based on anthropometry. Participants were 105 leukoderm adults, 34 male (32.4%) and 71 female (67.6%), with ages between 20 and 40 years old, patients in a private orthodontic clinic in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The findings from the cephalometric analysis contained in their orthodontic records were used for determination of facial type. Subjects were divided according to gender and facial type, and were submitted to anthropometric facial measures obtained directly through a caliper rule. These measures were compared to six variables: facial index, lower face index, upper face index, chin-face height proportion, chin height proportion, and mandibular height proportion. The average values obtained by the subjects divided into genders and facial types that presented significant differences were: facial index, lower face index, upper face index, and mandibular height proportion for males, and mandibular height proportion, for females. To predict facial types, the following parameters were considered significant: facial index, upper face index and mandibular height proportion for the dolichofacial type, for males; and mandibular height proportion for the dolichofacial and lower face index for the brachyfacial type, for females. Some indexes and orofacial proportions present variations according to facial types and genders. In general, the anthropometric variables in this study are not good predictors to determine facial types.

Recuperação da topografia de ovos por meio da técnica de moiré e calibração independente

A recuperação da topografia de ovos por meio de análise de imagens digitais permite, de forma não destrutiva, a estimativa das massas da gema, da clara, da casca e totais, que são produtos amplamente utilizados na esfera industrial. O presente trabalho buscou desenvolver uma metodologia para a recuperação da forma tridimensional de ovos por meio de análise de imagens, em especial usando a técnica de moiré. Foram utilizados ovos de diferentes tamanhos, classificados em: XL (mais de 73 g), L (63 a 73 g), M (53 a 63 g) e S (até 53 g). Em cada teste realizado em laboratório, um ovo, aleatoriamente selecionado, foi iluminado com a projeção de grades, e as imagens foram capturadas e processadas para a obtenção da forma tridimensional do objeto pela técnica de moiré (TM). As dimensões dos seus eixos principais foram medidas por meio de um paquímetro, sendo usadas como referência para calibração da TM. Equações empíricas foram ajustadas para a correção das dimensões, apresentando coeficiente de determinação de 0,961; 0,955 e 0,988. A TM mostrou-se adequada para a recuperação da topografia de ovos, proporcionando erros menores ou iguais a 5,47%, com a clara necessidade de uma calibração independente, nas três dimensões, e sem a necessidade de usar um objeto calibrador.

Studies Regarding Biometric Characteristics of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), Grown at Different Rates of Irrigation

Many vegetable species are shallow-rooted and sensitive to mild water stress. A possibility for improving water use is better management of water application, but that’s require information on detailed seasonal changes in crop growth and on root distribution and root extraction of soil water that is not currently available for most vegetable crops. In lettuce, where the harvested part of the plant is the photosynthetic leaf area, it is especially important to maintain optimal growth through the application of water and nutrients (GALLARDO et al, 1996). The experiments were made in bifactorial sequences, in spring of year 2006, placed in the vegetable field glasshouse, from USAMV Cluj-Napoca. The main purpose was to study the watering regime influence on the yield level and the quality of lettuce. The experiment included drip irrigation and microsprinkler irrigation, with three irrigation water levels (60, 70 and 80 % from activ humidity interval). Harvested plants from each variant were evaluated immediately according to yield, plant height, head diameter, leaf number and dry matter. Plant weight (g), head diameter (cm) and plant height (cm) were measured by caliper rule and calculated as the average of measured values. The average leaf number per plant was calculated by counting the leaves, and the dry matter amount was found after drying at 85 o C in 48 hours. Data show that differences due to water regime, irrigation method and the interaction between water regime and irrigation methods were highly significant for both, yield and water use efficiency. At high irrigation levels (80% AHI), yield were high (30 t/ha with dripline) and decreased significantly (23,2 t/ha with microsprinklers) at low irrigation levels (60% AHI). We can draw the conclusion that for lettuce culture in protected area, the best irrigation method is drip irrigation. The microsprinklers with special sprayer are not giving the best results in protected area, because of higher evaporation losses, higher humidity, the wet foliage which increases the potential for diseases, recording a percent of 20 % perished plants. The significant increases in dry matter were found as parallel to irrigation water deficit and the highest and lowest dry matter were found at 60% AHI irrigation level and 80% from AHI, respectively. This may be attributed to higher plant weight observed from 80% AHI treatment than those of deficit irrigation treatments. In other words, when the leaves were desiccated relative difference was bigger. Applying a different watering method for lettuce cultivated in protected areas, influences the plant growth, and so the production obtained. Developing the humidity condition from soil, that means any growing minimal level of watering applying with 10% from IUA caused a growing production. REFERENCES

Morphometry of the human bicipital groove (sulcus intertubercularis)

The bicipital groove is located between the greater and lesser tubercles at the proximal extremity of the humerus and extends inferiorly. Citations that anatomic variations of the groove could give rise to sliding of the biceps brachii muscle tendon led us to initiate a morphometric study on this groove. The study was done on 50 dry humeral bones from adults of both genders and from both sides. A digital caliper rule was used to measure the length, thickness and width of the bicipital groove and the humerus. The angles of the bicipital groove were measured with a goniometer. The average length of the groove was 8.1 cm and it corresponded to 25.2% of the length of the humerus. The width at the midpoint of the groove was 10.1 mm and corresponded to 49.7% to 54.5% of the width of the humerus. The depth was 4.0 mm and corresponded to 18.8% of the depth of the humerus. The mean angle formed by the groove lips was 106 degrees . This study confirmed the variability of the measurements presented by the groove in relation to all the aspects considered. Basic Science.

Topografia do cone medular da paca (Agouti paca, Linnaeus - 1766)

Objetivamos neste trabalho determinar a esqueletopia da terminação do cone medular da paca relacionando com as vértebras lombares e sacrais, visando assim estabelecer parâmetros morfométricos e topográficos do cone medular nesta espécie. Para tanto, procedemos à dissecação, mediante incisão, rebatimento da pele, da tela subcutânea e da musculatura da região dorsal à coluna vertebral, com posterior secção e remoção dos arcos vertebrais para melhor visualização da medula espinhal. Após a individualização do cone medular, registramos os aspectos anatômicos de interesse, enfatizando seu início (base) e seu término (ápice) em relação às vértebras, e a partir de então efetuamos suas medidas com o auxílio de paquímetro; visando documentar nossos achados, realizamos fotografias e esquemas dos espécimes estudados.

Caliper rule based ADC architectures

In this paper, a new kind of architectures for the full-flash or subranging Analogue to Digital Converters (ADC’s) is presented. To describe these architectures and explain the intrinsic conversion procedure, we refer to a technique, already presented by the author, which improves the accuracy of a measurement system. This technique is based on the arithmetic of the integer numbers in finite fields and include, as a particular case, the well known “caliper rule”. The said technique is recalled and explained by using some simple measurement examples, in particular length, time and mass measurements. Then the technique is applied to the full-flash and subranging ADC architectures, greatly reducing the number of the resistors necessary to generate the voltage reference scale. Indeed, the required resistors for a n-bits conversion word length are reduced from 2 n to about 3 ∗ 2 n / 2 . This reduction and the particular comparison method involved in the theory allow the realization of full-flash architectures having large word lengths.

Quantitative human in vivo evaluation of high resolution MRI for vessel wall morphometry after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

Visualization of the vessel wall after transluminal angioplasty is important to monitor the restenosis progress. Intravascular ultrasound proved its capabilities as an invasive procedure in many studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of high-resolution MRI as a non-invasive tool for follow-up after PTA. High-resolution magnetic resonance images (pixel size: 0.49 ∗ 0.49 mm 2) were acquired on a 1.0 T clinical scanner. Morphometry was conducted after conversion of DICOM images into TIFF format using ScionImage on a PC. In-vitro studies using a polyvinylchloride tube were evaluated by two independent investigators. Goldstandard was a caliper rule and direct radiography. Five patients were monitored before and 24 h, six weeks, three months and six months after PTA. In vivo measurements promised a good concordance for both investigators for area as well as for diameter measurements. Area measurements showed correlations up to r = 0.86 ( p < 0.001) whereas the correlations of diameters were slightly inferior (r between 0.58 and 0.84; p < 0.005). Relocation of the same slice position in the follow up studies could be guaranteed using anatomic landmarks in the images. As a non-invasive tool to assess restenosis after PTA high-resolution MRI promises to be a reproducible technique. It is easy to identify the same vascular region in different studies due to neighboring anatomic landmarks. Progression of disease as well as success of pharmacologic treatment to prevent restenosis may be monitored.

Morphometric measurements of the cartilaginous larynx: An anatomic correlate of laryngeal surgery.

The increasing application of sophisticated methods of laryngeal framework surgery requires a profound knowledge of the size and proportions of the human larynx and its cartilaginous components. Only inadequate data regarding this subject have so far been accessible. The aim of this study was to collect exact and reliable morphometric data of the human laryngeal framework. Materials and Methods Larynges from 98 corpses (52 male, 46 female) were removed during autopsy 4-64 hours postmortem and processed without delay or fixation. Following a standard routine for preparation, 28 parameters were measured on thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage, arytenoid cartilage, epiglottis, and the larynx as a whole organ. None of the patients had histories or visible signs of laryngeal disease. Anatomical preparations were performed with customary surgical tools and morphometric measurements then carried out with a pair of compasses and a caliper rule. A total of 5,100 measurements was performed on 98 larynges. These included, aside from evaluation of the whole organ, identification of the internal and external diameters of the cricoid cartilage, height and length of the thyroid alae in different planes, angle of thyroid alae, height of arytenoid cartilage, width and length of epiglottic cartilage, and position of the anterior commissure related to the thyroid cartilage. The results provide a full scale of data determining the size and extent not only of the cartilaginous components, but of the laryngeal framework as a whole. Mean values, standard deviations, and sample sizes are given for every parameter separately for both sexes. This study provides a comprehensive and detailed description of the dimensions of the adult human larynx.

Contribution to improving the meat water holding capacity test by the filter paper press method. A comparison of three methods for measuring areas

Tests of meat water holding capacity (WHC) by the filter paper press method in bovine muscles were assayed. Two rapid methods to evaluate the liquid impregnation areas on the filter paper were used in opposition to the classic planimetric method. A special “reticular filter paper” for direct measurement of spot areas was designed. Data from 1113 meat WHC tests of Longissimus dorsi, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus, Biceps femoris and Adductor muscles were assayed. It was verified that the reticular method has a good precision with coefficient of variation, CV%, between 4.04 and 2.64% for meat ‘ M’ and total ‘ T’ areas, respectively. The accuracy of the reticular method was also very high, with R 2 = 99.54% for ‘ T’ and 97.06% for ‘ M’. The caliper rule method showed an acceptable accuracy, with values R 2 = 98.05 and 90.76% for ‘ T’ and ‘ M’, respectively. Their precision, however was somewhat smaller than reticular measures, with CV% between 5.51 and 7.37% for ‘ T’ and ‘ M’, respectively.

Palpebral Fissure Height and Downgaze in Patients with Graves Upper Eyelid Retraction and Congenital Blepharoptosis

To compare the relation between vertical eyelid fissure height and downgaze in healthy subjects and in patients with Graves upper eyelid retraction and congenital blepharoptosis. With a caliper rule, the authors measured the vertical eyelid fissure height of 25 patients with no previous history of eye disease, 34 patients with Graves disease, and 16 patients with congenital blepharoptosis. All measurements were done at the primary position and at four levels of downgaze (10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, and 40 degrees). In 13 patients with Graves disease, vertical phoria was quantified with a Maddox rod and prism. The relation between vertical eyelid fissure height and downgaze is linear. The slope was identical for the control subjects and for the patients with Graves disease (b = -1.36) but it was almost zero for the patients with congenital blepharoptosis (b = -0.037). When vertical eyelid fissure height was corrected to arc values, the slope of the relation between vertical eyelid fissure height and downgaze was significantly greater for the patients with Graves disease. Vertical phoria was not related to the amount of Graves upper eyelid retraction. The data support the hypotheses that upper eyelid retraction secondary to Graves eye disease results from hyperactivity of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle.

Pancreatogram of Unfused Pancreatic Duct Systems

Abstract: The aim of this study was to indirectly evaluate functional aspects of the accessory papilla, by measuring the diameter of the dorsal duct in non‐fusion (pancreas divisum). In 56 patients with definite non‐fusion, the diameter of the duct on ERCP was measured with a caliper rule, in the ventral duct (V1, V2), in the head of the dorsal duct (Dh1, Dh2), the body (Dbl, Db2), and the tail (Dt1, Dt2). The controls were 61 consecutive patients with a normally fused pancreatic duct system. The mean value ± SD were V1:2.0±1.1, V2:1.7±0.8, Dh1:2.5±0.6, Dh2:2.6±0.8, Dbl:2.7±0.8, Db2: 2.1 ±0.5, Dt1: 1.7±0.5, Dt2: 0.9±0.2 in the non‐fusion group. The values in the control group were 3.4±0.9, 3.0±0.8, 1.0±0.3, 1.3±0.4, 2.6±0.6, 2.3±0.6, 1.6 ± 0.3, 0.9 ± 0.2, respectively. Results showed that the diameter of the pancreatic duct was significantly related to the age of the patient in the body and tail of the non‐fusion group but not in the controls (p&lt;0.05). The diameter of the ventral duct in the control group was related to the age but not in the non‐fusion group (p&lt;0.0001).In non‐fusion group, mean values of V1 and V2 was smaller (p&lt;0.02), and Dh1 and Dh2 were larger (p&lt;0.05) than those in the controls. While there were no significant differences in the mean values of Db1, Db2, Dt1, and Dt2 in both groups.These results may indicate a more prominent influences of age to the caliber changes of pancretic duct when non‐fusion existed.

A new method for accurate dental measurement.

Using digital dividers (analogue-digital transformer, Brandt-Hermanussen device), it has become possible to measure distances between human teeth with a technical error of 0.04 mm. The technique implies a small preparation (trough) into the respective teeth. The ball-shaped metal probes of the instrument fit into these troughs and enable the determination of this distance directly in the patient. It does not require the use of casts. The present method was compared with two conventional and popular techniques of tooth arch determination, using the natural retentions of the deepest points of the central fossa of the respective teeth without the preparation of an artificial trough (manual caliper rule with nonius, digital caliper rule). The technical error of these techniques ranged between 0.46 mm and 0.52 mm. In order to investigate whether the preparation of an artificial trough could be avoided, the digital measuring dividers were modified and equipped with sharp probes for the determination of the natural distance between the deepest points of the central fossa, in analogy to the conventional techniques. Under these circumstances however, the technical error increased up to 0.27 mm (observer 1), and 0.21 mm (observer 2). It is concluded that dental marking is necessary for accurate dental measurement.