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This study used anthropometric data in the form of Farkas' proportion indices in order to quantify facial attractiveness, and to relate measured change through surgery, to clinical judgement. Standardized photographs of 15 orthognathic patients were used in album form and rated by 10 experienced clinicians: album 1 for facial attractiveness (before surgery) and album 2 for improvement in facial attractiveness (before and after surgery). Twenty-five proportion indices were selected and linear measurements recorded from the pre- and post-surgical photographs. The corresponding change in indices and in clinicians' scores were compared. The clinicians' assessment of the degree of improvement in facial appearance achieved through surgery, related closely to the scores produced by the change in proportion indices (r = 0.698, P = 0.004). Clinical assessment demonstrated a clear inverse relationship between initial attractiveness rating and the degree of improvement achieved through orthognathic surgery (r = -0.781, P = 0.001). The results showed good repeatability in terms of clinical assessment, photography and digitization. The method would appear to have potential for further development, possibly into a 'facial attractiveness index' for the objectives of quantification of improvement achieved through treatment.

Shear stress increases trophoblast migration in the direction of flow, challenging the idea that trophoblasts migrate down spiral arteries retrograde to flow. This suggests that low shear stresses generated by trophoblast plugging of spiral arteries in the first trimester may favour arterial remodelling by preventing the migration with flow seen at higher shear stresses, allowing trophoblasts to migrate down the arteries in response to alternate stimuli such as uterine or endothelial cell-derived chemotactic factors.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mandibular outline asymmetry and skeletal discrepancy in a sample of orthodontic patients (33 females, 33 males) aged from 8 to 19 years. Skeletal discrepancy was assessed in both the anteroposterior and vertical planes, using standard cephalometric analyses. All were photographed under standardized conditions and the photographs were then digitized for analysis using a computerized system to assess differences in four variables (area, perimeter, compactness and moment-ratio) between the right and left sides of the mandibular outline. The results showed good repeatability of the photographic, cephalometric and digitization methods. A statistically significant relationship was found between mandibular outline asymmetry and both anteroposterior and vertical skeletal discrepancy in this sample, when compared with patients with an average skeletal pattern. There appeared to be a statistically significant relationship between a reduced ANB angle (< 3 degrees) and mandibular outline asymmetry (P = 0.051), as well as between an increase in lower face height and mandibular asymmetry (P = 0.023).

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