Excessive Height Research Articles

Reduction of excessive height in boys by bilateral percutaneous epiphysiodesis around the knee

In this study, the results of percutaneous epiphysiodesis as a surgical method to decrease final height is described in 15 boys with a predicted final height of more than 205 cm. A total of 17 boys with a height prediction between 195 and 209 cm without treatment were included as controls. The study period was from 1995-2002 and patients were followed for a mean period of 3.9 years (range 2.3-6.5 years) after surgery; controls were followed for 8.3 years (range 2.0-12.1 years). Final height in the treated boys was 203.6 cm (range 195.5-214.5 cm) compared to the predicted height of 210.6 cm (range 205.7-222.7 cm). The reduction in final height versus the predicted height was 7 cm and ranged between 1.2 and 13.8 cm. Final height in the control boys was 199.9 cm (range 191.3-206.7 cm). No significant side-effects of epiphysiodesis were observed. Besides final height reduction, epiphysiodesis resulted in normalisation of body proportions, expressed as the subischial leg length/sitting height ratio. This ratio in the operated patients at final height was 0.96 (range 0.90-1.01) and in the controls 0.94 (range 0.88-1.03). Epiphysiodesis can be advised as a method to decrease final height in boys with predicted tall stature. An additional advantage of this method is a normalisation of body proportions.

The fortune of a botanical curiosity – Triticale: past, present and future

Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) is the intergeneric hybrid between the female parent wheat (Triticum ssp.) and the male parent rye (Secale ssp.). The early work identifying and then producing primary and secondary triticales is described. Early wheat–rye hybrids were characterized by reproductive disorders and the cytology and meiotic characteristics have received much attention. Chromosome constitution has been studied particularly in relation to R-D substitution. Triticale has always been bred as a self-pollinating crop, although outcrossing can occur, and current cultivars are all nearly homozygous and homogeneous lines. Hybrid breeding (using cytoplasmic male sterility) makes the optimum exploitation of heterosis possible and, with the aid of molecular markers, triticale germplasm is presently being investigated to establish genetically diverse heterotic groups.The first released spring and winter cultivars were generally characterized by good disease resistance, but low grain yield, shrivelled grain, high protein content, excessive height, lodging and preharvest sprouting. Breeding effort has increased yield, reduced shrivelling and improved test weight but at the expense of protein content, which is now comparable to wheat and rye. Plant height and lodging are also now comparable to wheat and rye. Progress in reducing preharvest sprouting by genetic selection is proving difficult and slow. Triticale may be suitable for grain production and for dual purpose usage for forage and grain.The role of biotechnology in triticale improvement is described. The future of the crop, especially in low-input systems, and as raw material for industrial uses is considered.

Size‐mediated ageing reduces vigour in trees

There is increasing interest in understanding the costs and benefits of increased size and prolonged lifespan for plants. Some species of trees can grow more than 100 m in height and can live for several millennia, however whether these achievements are obtained at the cost of some other physiological functions is currently unclear. As increases in size are usually associated with ageing, it is also unclear whether observed reductions in growth rates and increased mortality rates are a function of size or of age per se. One theory proposes that reduced growth after the start of the reproductive phase is caused by cellular senescence. A second set of theories has focussed instead on plant size and the increased respiratory burdens or excessive height. We report on experimental manipulations to separate the effects of extrinsic factors such as size from those of intrinsic factors such as age for four tree species of contrasting phylogeny and life history. For each species, we measured growth, gas exchange and leaf biochemical properties for trees of different ages and sizes in the field and on propagated material obtained from the same genetic individuals but now all of small similar size in our common gardens. For all species, evidence indicated that size, not cellular senescence, accounted for the observed age-related declines in relative growth rates and net assimilation rates. Two species exhibited evidence of genetic control on leaf characters such as specific leaf area, although size also exerted an independent, and stronger, effect. We found partial support for the theory of hydraulic limitations to tree growth. The lack of a marked separation of soma and germline, an unlimited proliferation potential of meristem cells and the exponential increase in reproductive effort with size all help explain the lack of a senescence-induced decline in trees. It is possible that trees much older than the ones we sampled exhibit senescence symptoms.

HEIGHT CONTROL OF HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS FORCED USING NIGHT-INTERRUPTED LIGHTING UNDER NURSERY CONDITIONS

In previous studies, night-interrupted lighting (NIL) promoted earlier flowering of summer-blooming herbaceous perennials grown under outdoor nursery conditions in the southeastern U.S. However, NIL promoted excessive plant height, thus reducing product quality. Our objective was to control plant height of Coreopsis grandiflora `Early Sunrise' (ES) and Rudbeckia fulgida `Goldsturm' (RG) grown under NIL with plant growth retardants (PGR) without offsetting earlier flowering promoted by NIL. Treatments under NIL were three rates of daminozide, daminozide plus chloromequat, flurprimidol, uniconazole, and NIL and natural controls. Plant height was reduced 3% to 38% in ES and 8% to 31% in RG and time to visible bud was unchanged by all PGR treatments compared to the NIL control. Time to visible bud was unchanged in RG by all PGR treatments and flurprimidol in ES, but the remaining PGR treatments increased time to visible bud compared to the NIL control in ES. Only ES plants treated with daminozide and daminozide plus chloromequat at the two highest rates and all rates of uniconazole were similar in height to the natural control. RG plant heights with the two highest rates of flurprimidol and uniconazole and the highest rate of daminozide plus chloromequat were less than the natural control; heights of plants in the remaining PGR treatments were similar to the natural control. Quality rating was unchanged in RG but was increased in ES by all PGR treatments compared to the NIL control.

Intertidal beach change during storm conditions; Egmond, The Netherlands

The processes responsible for sediment transport and morphological change in the intertidal zone of natural beaches are not well known. Consequently, factors determining whether the intertidal beach erodes/accretes or remains stable in the face of significant wave impact, and the mechanisms behind the elusive concept of ‘equilibrium beach slope’ are poorly understood. A field experiment was designed to measure suspended sediment transport in the swash and inner surf zone through successive tidal cycles in the intertidal zone at Egmond Beach, The Netherlands, using a stack of fiberoptic backscatter sensors (UFOBS-7). The experimental period comprised three large storm events, including an extreme storm with offshore significant wave heights in excess of 7 m. Surveys spanning a >1 km long section of the beach as well as observations from an ARGUS video camera system showed that gently sloping shoreline salients (megacusps) were highly stable in position and displayed only minor slope adjustments through the storm period, whereas steeply sloping embayments were eroded significantly. The sediment transport measurements at a shoreline salient indicated that the subdued net beach response was because offshore sediment transport occurring under surf zone conditions at high tide was compensated by onshore sediment transport at low tide when swash zone processes dominated. Such temporally varying, tidally modulated sediment transport rates and directions are suggested to be able to maintain a quasi-equilibrium intertidal beach slope and the results indicate that a negative feedback existed between initial beach slope and net sediment transport patterns.

Acrophobia and Pathological Height Vertigo: Indications for Vestibular Physical Therapy?

Acrophobia (fear of heights) may be related to a high degree of height vertigo caused by visual dependence in the maintenance of standing balance. The purpose of this case report is to describe the use of vestibular physical therapy intervention following behavioral therapy to reduce a patient's visual dependence and height vertigo. Mr N was a 37-year-old man with agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) that included symptoms of height phobia. Exposure to heights triggered symptoms of dizziness. Intervention. Mr N underwent 8 sessions of behavioral therapy that involved exposure to heights using a head-mounted virtual reality device. Subsequently, he underwent 8 weeks of physical therapy for an individualized vestibular physical therapy exercise program. After behavioral therapy, the patient demonstrated improvements on the behavioral avoidance test and the Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale, but dizziness and body sway responses to moving visual scenes did not decrease. After physical therapy, his dizziness and sway responses decreased and his balance confidence increased. Symptoms of acrophobia and sway responses to full-field visual motion appeared to respond to vestibular physical therapy administered after completion of a course of behavioral therapy. Vestibular physical therapy may have a role in the management of height phobia related to excessive height vertigo.

Population status, demography and habitat preferences of the threatened lipstick palm Cyrtostachys renda Blume in Kerumutan Reserve, Sumatra

Abstract Population status and demography of a population of the threatened lipstick palm Cyrtostachys renda in a peat swamp ecosystem of Kerumutan Reserve, Sumatra (one of the largest remaining populations) was documented at 16 different sites, covering a wide range of forest and habitat types, vegetation associations, and population sizes. Population sizes were dominated by suckers comprising 89% of the total population. Individuals with stem heights between 0 and 4 m (47.5%), stem diameters between 4 and 10 cm (82.0%), and leaf scar numbers between 0 and 60 (69.2%) dominated. Ages of individuals were estimated and used to fit a curvilinear relationship between age and stem height. Wild plants reach reproductive maturity within 25–30 years, or when they have stem heights in excess of 2.0 m, or when they have 15–25 leaf scars. They can survive more than 80 years. Cultivated plants appear to reproduce earlier and produce more seeds than wild plants. Individual growth was plant size-dependent with the adult stage being the most productive. Higher mortality was experienced by suckers, especially in continuously waterlogged conditions and locations with dense canopies. Sucker growth was faster than seedling growth, an adaptation that may allow the species to cope with periodically waterlogged conditions. Population abundances varied with habitat types; well-drained areas were the most suitable habitat. To conserve the most important remaining populations of the lipstick palm, it is crucial to protect well-drained sites in Kerumutan Reserve.

Mechanical strength test method for solder ball joint in BGA package

Ball shear tests were investigated in terms of effects of test parameters, i.e. shear height and shear speed, with an experimental and non-linear finite element analysis in order to evaluate the solder joint integrity of area array packages. The substrate was a common SMD type with solder bond pad openings of 460 μm in diameter. Microstructural investigations were carried out using SEM, and the IMCs were identified with EDS. It was observed that increasing shear height, at fixed shear speed, results in decreasing shear force, while the shear force increased with increasing shear speed at fixed shear height. Excessive shear height could cause some detrimental effects on the test results such as unexpected high standard deviation values or shear tip sliding from the solder ball surface. Low shear height conditions are favorable for screening the type of brittle interfacial fractures or degraded layers in the interfaces.

Comparaison de deux techniques chirurgicales dans le traitement de la paralysie du muscle oblique supérieur

To compare two surgical techniques for the treatment of superior oblique palsy. Retrospective study involving 32 patients operated on at the Rouen Teaching Hospital for superior oblique palsy. Group 1 patients were treated by surgical reinforcement of the superior oblique muscle and group 2 patients were treated by surgical loosening (or weakening) of the antagonist muscles. One-year follow-up explored head tilt, diplopia, vertical deviation and cyclotorsion. Functional results (presence of diplopia or stiff neck) were positive in both groups but better in group 1. Only 12.5% of patients required a second operation. Cyclotorsion amounted to less than 2% in group 1 and was still greater than 8% in group 2; on the other hand, vertical deviation had improved more in group 2, where it decreased to 2.1 diopters versus 3.1 in group 1. and conclusion: Only reinforcing the superior oblique adequately corrects cyclotorsion, which is the main cause of asthenopia and diplopia, despite an often insufficient height correction that is otherwise clinically well tolerated. We suggest reinforcing the superior oblique as a first intent rather than weakening hyperactive muscles, and in case of excessive postoperative height, we would carry out additional treatment of one of the hyperactive muscles later.

Validation of the Promega Powerplex® 16 STR Multiplex System For Forensic Casework

ABSTRACTThe Centre of Forensic Sciences, in both its Toronto and Northern Regional Laboratories (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario), has completed internal validation of the Promega PowerPlex®16 DNA typing system in accordance with the revised SWGDAM validation guidelines (January 2004). The Promega PowerPlex®16 DNA typing system amplifies the 13 CODIS loci along with Penta D, Penta E, and Amelogenin in a single reaction, affording the laboratory greater efficiencies, discrimination power, and throughput. Methodologies, techniques and platforms already in place for current multiplex systems were employed. Detection of amplified product was achieved using 5% Long Ranger® Singel Polyacrylamide gels on ABI 377 Automated Sequencers. Robust performance of the PowerPlex®16 system was obtained using 1ng of target DNA in a 15 pL reaction amplified for a total of 30 PCR cycles. With these conditions, 0.5 pL of amplified product yielded average combined allelic peak heights in excess of 1000 rfu per locus. Sensitivity studies showed the system is capable of generating complete DNA profiles with as little as 125 pg of DNA. The PowerPlex®16 system could also consistently detect the presence of a minor component in a 19:1 mixture. Finally the system was proven to be reproducible and robust in amplifying previously typed non-probative forensic casework samples. This validation study has demonstrated that the Promega PowerPlex®16 multiplex system provides consistent amplification with a variety of different template challenges, and therefore is suitable for casework implementation in our laboratories.

Excess Height Loss with Spinal Osteoporosis in Elderly Women

Excess Height Loss with Spinal Osteoporosis in Elderly Women

Production potential of cavendish cultivars (Musa spp. AAA) under greenhouse and field conditions in subtropical areas of Turkey

The objective of this study was to evaluate the production potential of banana cultivars, ‘Grand Nain’, ‘Petit Nain’, ‘Poyo’, ‘Williams’ and ‘Basrai’, as alternatives to the ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ for open-field and greenhouse cultivation in subtropical conditions. Stem circumference, stem height, total leaf number, bunch stalk circumference, days from shooting to harvest, number of hands per bunch, number of fingers per bunch, finger circumference, finger length and bunch weight were measured in open-field and greenhouse cultivation. Cultivars ‘Williams’ and ‘Grand Nain’ were superior to ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ in greenhouse cultivation, while these two cultivars and ‘Petit Nain’ and ‘Basrai’ were superior to ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ in open-field cultivation. ‘Poyo’ was not suitable for greenhouse cultivation because of its excessive height and for open-field cultivation due to its sensitivity to wind damage. Greenhouse cultivation of bananas was superior to open-field cultivation for all cultivars with increases in yield of 19 to 28% according to the cultivar.

Temperature fluctuations and heat transfer in a fluidized-bed combustor of waste oil

Temperature fluctuations and heat transfer characteristics were investigated in a fluidized-bed combustor of 0.102 m ID and 2.5 m in height, which was designed for waste oil combustion. Effects of excess air (A E), injection height (HI) and feeding rate of waste oil (Q F) on the mean bed temperature (TB), Kolmogorov entropy (K2) of phase space portraits and heat transfer coefficient (U 0) in the fluidized-bed combustor were determined. T B increased, but K2 and U0 decreased with increasing A E. K2 had a local minimum, but TB and U0 had a maximum at HI of 0.4 m. TB increased, but K2 had a minimum and U0 had a maximum with increasing QF in the combustor. T B, K2 and U0 obtained at the optimum operating condition (A E=40%, HI=0.4 m, QF=30 g/min) were about 855 o C, 22 bits/s and 382 W/m 2 K,

Optimization of InGaAsP–InP tensile strained multiple quantum-well structures emitting at 1.34 µm

A systematic investigation has been undertaken on the growth, characterization and performance of tensile-strained multiple-quantum-well (MQW) lasers emitting at 1.34 µm. Two photoluminescence peaks corresponding to n = 1 electron–light hole (E1–LH1) and n = 1 electron–heavy hole (E1–HH1) transitions are clearly observed in MQW structures. The improvements of tensile strained MQW lasers such as the internal quantum efficiency, internal loss and threshold current are attributed to the increased energy separation between LH1 and HH1 when the tensile strain and well width are larger. The relatively thick barrier layer is required to mitigate the strain relaxation between the quantum wells. The degradation of device performance by the excessive barrier height could be attributed to the exacerbated spatial non-uniformity of the carrier distribution in the valence band. The optimized tensile strained MQW lasers with 300 µm cavity length and ridge waveguide (RWG) structure exhibit a lower threshold current of 13 mA and a higher external differential efficiency per facet of 0.29 mWmA−1 at 25 °C.

Productivity and canopy modification of Medicago arborea as affected by defoliation management and genotype in a Mediterranean environment

Abstract Medicago arborea is one of the most potentially valuable fodder shrubs in a Mediterranean environment because of its high preference by small ruminants and its nutritive value. Edible biomass production is affected by agronomic and environmental factors. A study, carried out in an inland area of Sicily in the growing seasons of 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97, evaluated the forage production and canopy modification in a M. arborea plantation after (i) commencing defoliation 1 or 2 years after transplanting and (ii) defoliating only in autumn (A), only in early summer (S) or in both seasons (A and S). Six clones derived from five different Mediterranean populations were used. Plant age at the first defoliation did not significantly influence forage production. The genotypes differed in growth rate and forage production. The season and frequency of defoliation markedly influenced forage production and canopy size. The highest annual production was obtained by defoliating once a year in early summer (on average, 1·65, 2·85 and 4·50 tonnes ha−1 respectively in the three growing seasons). With the A and S, and A defoliation treatments, production decreased over 3 years by, on average, 0·19 and 0·57 respectively, but the differences became more marked over a 3‐year period. Defoliating only in early summer, however, resulted in an excessive shrub height (>120 cm, 3 years after transplanting), thereby increasing problems of accessibility to small grazing ruminants, and possibly necessitating cutting. On the contrary, the A and S defoliation made it possible to limit the height to <90 cm.

Leaflet folding plasty combined with annular plication for mitral valve repair

We describe a new technique of mitral valve repair based on two reconstructive techniques: (1) the folding leaflet method, and (2) the classic annular plication. This combination appears to be useful in cases with a large prolapsing posterior mitral leaflet with excessive leaflet height or in cases with commissural prolapse involving both the anterior and posterior leaflets.

Index of suspicion.

Index of suspicion.

Photolithographic processing of hybrid glasses for microoptics

Hybrid glass materials are used in the photolithographic fabrication of optical and optomechanical structures. Two different photolithographic hybrid glass processing methods are described. The first one is referred as photolithographic patterning and the second as direct photolithographic deforming of hybrid glass materials. No etch transfer of the photoimaged structures is needed. In the latter method even the chemical development step can be excluded from the fabrication. Fabrication of lens-arrays, gratings and other binary structures is presented. The synthesized hybrid glass materials feature minimum optical transmission of 97% at wavelengths ranging from 450 nm to 1600 nm and refractive index of, e.g., 1.53 at 632.8 nm. The photolithographic patterning resulted in structure heights in excess of 180 /spl mu/m with rms surface roughness values ranging from 10 to 45 nm. The direct photolithographic deforming resulted in structure heights in excess of 27 /spl mu/m with rms surface roughness values ranging from 1 and 15 nm.

Effects of Combined Nutrient and Water Stress on the Growth of Hopea Odorata Roxb. and Mimusops Elengi Linn. Seedlings

The growth of Hopea odorata and Mimusops elengi seedlings under drought and various fertilization rates under nursery conditions was investigated. Both H. odorata and M. elengi seedlings responded differently to fertilizer application and drought. Application of slow-release fertilizer (Best Tab, 20:10; 5 NPK) at 30 and 50 g promoted greater height growth for H. odorata and M. elengi seedlings, respectively. M. elengi seedlings were able to tolerate high fertilizer application (50 g), but the resulting form (small trunk diameter and excessive height) was not suitable for urban planting. Growth of H. odorata seedlings was greatly promoted through application of 30 g of fertilizer under well-watered conditions, resulting in a much more balanced growth in terms of shoot and root ratio, which is vital for plants growing in the harsh urban environment where competition for water and nutrients is usually intense.

Use of excess height and cluster extent in subtraction SPECT

Subtraction of ictal and interictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion images of the brain has the potential of locating the epileptogenic region. This region generally shows large differences between both images. However, differences can also be induced by noise in the projection data. We hypothesized that the extent, besides the intensity, of observed clusters of voxels in thresholded subtraction images, is an important parameter in the classification of clusters into real perfusion differences and noise-induced differences. To test this hypothesis, we performed a number of simulation experiments. Using a Monte Carlo approach, we constructed cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) of the excess height (i.e., the largest difference in a cluster) and the cluster extent under the condition of no perfusion change (i.e., only noise-induced clusters). The reproducibility of the CDF curves was shown using measured patient data. Furthermore, a three-dimensional (3-D) brain software phantom experiment was used to examine the detection and classification of an induced region of hyperperfusion. In a first experiment, we compared two detection criteria: detection of the induced hyperperfusion based on the observed cluster with the largest excess height and based on the observed cluster with the largest extent. Detection based on the largest extent showed a better sensitivity. In a second experiment, we assigned to every observed cluster a probability, derived from the CDF curves, for excess height and extent. For different probability thresholds, sensitivity and specificity of the detection of the induced hyperperfusion based on its probability for excess height and cluster extent were measured. These measurements were combined in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. These ROC curves showed a better performance when using classification based on cluster extent. We conclude that the cluster extent is an important parameter in the characterization of clusters in thresholded subtraction of perfusion SPELT images of the brain.