(Morpho)syntactic Variation in Agreement: Specificational Copular Clauses Across Germanic.

In this paper we bring together the results of our research into agreement in copular clauses in four different Germanic languages-Dutch, German, Faroese, and Icelandic-in order to provide an overview of the results. These cases present a particularly interesting window into how verbal agreement operates, since there are two potential controllers of agreement, which may disagree in person and/or number (The source of the rumor BE the neighbors/you-sg/you-pl). We will show that there is variation at all levels in which nominal controls agreement: cross-linguistic, inter-speaker within a single language, and intra-speaker. We argue that our data support the following claims: (1) "Downward" agreement for person, as well as number, with a nominal that is not in the canonical subject position is possible and in some cases preferred; (2) The agreement patterns observed in Icelandic and Faroese support the hypothesis that in these languages there are distinct Number and Person heads; (3) "Downward" agreement from a high position in the left-periphery is a grammatically distinct phenomenon from agreement when the verb remains in a lower position in the clause; (4) In some languages and some configurations, speakers show a significant degree of indeterminacy in their judgments and production, suggesting that speakers use more than one grammar. We relate our findings to current discussions in the generative literature on subject agreement and in particular differences between number and person agreement, and possible connections to restrictions on object clitics; we also discuss questions that remain open, and invite new, cross-disciplinary research.

Three-dimensional perception of facial asymmetry.

In orthodontic diagnosis, facial symmetry is important. The aim of the present study was to analyse the perception of various degrees of facial asymmetry exhibited by carefully designed virtual three-dimensional (3D) material. Three groups of raters (30 orthodontists, 30 maxillofacial surgeons, and 30 laymen) rated, using a six-point scale, the degree of asymmetry of eight randomly presented 3D faces exhibiting incremental soft tissue alterations. The faces were created by gradually transforming the nose or chin in increments of 2 mm away from the computed symmetry plane. Differences between the groups in analysis of facial asymmetry, the rating of facial stimulus, and right and left facial asymmetry were determined using a t-test. The results demonstrated that raters' profession did not influence the point at which they identified asymmetry. Even laymen were able to detect asymmetries when located near the midline of 3D faces. All raters identified asymmetries of the nose as more negative than those of the same degree of the chin. A left-sided deviation of the nose along the facial symmetry plane lead to a more negative rating of facial appearance, whereas a right-sided deviation of the chin was rated as less attractive. Nasal architecture plays a crucial role in the perception of symmetry. These findings provide clinicians with a greater understanding of how faces are perceived, a process which is of particular interest in treating orthognathic patients, and those with congenital anomalies.

Reliability of a Method for Computing Facial Symmetry Plane and Degree of Asymmetry Based on 3D-data.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the reliability of a landmark-independent method for determining the facial symmetry plane and degree of asymmetry based on three-dimensional data from the facial surface from two sets of recordings, one performed consecutively and one performed on different days. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used an optical 3D-sensor to obtain the facial data of one male subject in two sets of ten measurements: the first taken consecutively and the second on different days. The symmetry plane and degree of asymmetry were calculated for each of the resulting twenty sets of data. One set of data was analyzed ten times for control purposes. The calculation of the mean deviation angle between the symmetry planes served as a measure of the reproducibility of these results. RESULTS: Although the mean angular deviations of the computed symmetry planes, 0.134 degrees (for ten consecutively captured images) and 0.177 degrees (for the ten images captured on different days), were each significantly higher than the mean angular deviation (0.028 degrees) calculated from ten analyses of a single image, they can still be regarded as very small. There were no significant differences in the degree of asymmetry among the three measurement sets. The standard deviations revealed low values. CONCLUSIONS: This method can be used to compute with high reliability the symmetry planes and degree of asymmetry of facial 3D-data. The color-coded visualization of asymmetrical facial regions makes it possible for this analytical procedure to capture the asymmetries of facial soft tissue with substantially greater precision than 2-dimensional en face images.

Dentoalveolar open bite treatment with spur appliances.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this prospective, longitudinally-controlled study was to analyze the isolated effect of spurs on the craniofacial and dentoalveolar complex of patients presenting anterior open bite due to tongue dysfunction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Following a standardized treatment protocol, fifteen patients (mean age 13 years, 10 months+/-5 years, 7 months) underwent treatment with a fixed palatal spur appliance for a mean duration of 9.13 months. The cephalometric analysis was based on lateral cephalograms taken before (T1) and directly after the spur therapy (T2). RESULTS: All patients experienced an elongation of the maxillary and mandibular alveolar processes. The alveolar process height of the maxilla showed a highly significant mean growth increment of 1.61 mm, the alveolar process height of the mandible of 1.36 mm. The mean increase in overbite was 1.95 mm and highly significant. In addition, after spur therapy, a significant uprighting of the lower incisors was observed, which also resulted in a significant increase in the overjet. CONCLUSIONS: With the help of spurs, an elongation of the alveolar process heights of the upper and lower jaws was achievable for all patients presenting an anterior open bite due to tongue dysfunction. The results indicate a change in the neuromuscular behavior pattern of the tongue which brought about the correction of the dysfunction and, finally, the increase in overbite.