Revisional Medial Epicanthoplasty Using Reverse Z-plasty Technique

Background Medial epicanthoplasty is a common method for correcting epicanthal folds in Asians but sometimes cause unsatisfactory results. Although several procedural variations have been devised, revision techniques have earned little attention. Revision technique we have developed uses reverse Z-plasty to restore an overcorrected epicanthal fold. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of our reverse Z-plasty technique in restoring natural medial canthal region harmonizing with Asian face. Methods From January 2010 to December 2016, reverse Z-plasty was performed in patients seeking revisions after previous medial epicanthoplasties. Patients were surveyed to assess their satisfaction with surgical outcomes. Interepicanthal distance (ICD) lengthening ratios and symmetry of palpebral widths were evaluated digitally (ImageJ software) in patients who received revisional epicanthoplasty only. Results Our reverse Z-plasty technique for revisional epicanthoplasty was performed in 548 Asian patients (male, 83, female, 460). Most patients were pleased with the final outcomes. Only 6% submitted to later revisions of scars, which were otherwise scarcely visible after 3 months. Among 60 patients who only underwent revisional epicanthoplasty, ICD lengthening ratios ranged from 2.9–31.1% (average, 8.6%), and palpebral width symmetries improved. Conclusions This particular technique helps restore the three-dimensional appearance of medial canthal angle through horizontal skin and soft tissue (including muscle and ligament) restructuring, thus compensating for tissue deficiency. It is simple in design, easy to perform, and satisfactory results were achieved, conferring natural aesthetics to the medial canthal region.

The India Face Set: International and Cultural Boundaries Impact Face Impressions and Perceptions of Category Membership

This paper serves three specific goals. First, it reports the development of an Indian Asian face set, to serve as a free resource for psychological research. Second, it examines whether the use of pre-tested U.S.-specific norms for stimulus selection or weighting may introduce experimental confounds in studies involving non-U.S. face stimuli and/or non-U.S. participants. Specifically, it examines whether subjective impressions of the face stimuli are culturally dependent, and the extent to which these impressions reflect social stereotypes and ingroup favoritism. Third, the paper investigates whether differences in face familiarity impact accuracy in identifying face ethnicity. To this end, face images drawn from volunteers in India as well as a subset of Caucasian face images from the Chicago Face Database were presented to Indian and U.S. participants, and rated on a range of measures, such as perceived attractiveness, warmth, and social status. Results show significant differences in the overall valence of ratings of ingroup and outgroup faces. In addition, the impression ratings show minor differentiation along two basic stereotype dimensions, competence and trustworthiness, but not warmth. We also find participants to show significantly greater accuracy in correctly identifying the ethnicity of ingroup faces, relative to outgroup faces. This effect is found to be mediated by ingroup-outgroup differences in perceived group typicality of the target faces. Implications for research on intergroup relations in a cross-cultural context are discussed.

Guns are not faster to enter awareness after seeing a Black face: Absence of race-priming in a gun/tool task during continuous flash suppression

Almost two decades of research using the Weapon Identification Task (WIT) show that seeing Black face primes facilitates the identification of guns compared to tools. However, it is unknown whether the stereotype-based association between Black faces and guns impacts initial perceptual processing or only later memory or response-related processes. Here, to test for the presence of a perceptual effect while controlling for memory and response-effect we measured the influence of race-priming on visual awareness during continuous flash suppression (CFS), a strong interocular suppression technique. Eighty-four participants were primed with Black or Asian faces, and then indicated the location of a gun or tool target that was temporarily rendered invisible through CFS. Faster localization in this task reflects faster entry into visual awareness. The same participants also completed a standard WIT gun/tool identification task with Black and Asian face primes. We replicated the standard race-priming effect in the WIT: Black faces primed the identification of guns, while Asian faces primed the identification of tools. However, in the CFS task, Black and Asian primes did not affect when guns and tools enter into awareness. This shows that the stereotypical Black-gun association does not alter early visual processing. Instead it suggests that race-priming most likely originates from later memory- or response-related processing stages.

The Impact of Race on Speech Perception and Accentedness Judgments in Racially Diverse and Non-Diverse Groups

Linguistic ideologies are informed by social stereotyping (Fiske et al. 2007) to maintain the standard variety, which is often interpreted as morally superior to nonstandard varieties (Hill 2008). Consequently, these ideologies racialize nonstandard varieties (Rosa 2016), leading to even more negative stereotypes (Giles & Watson 2013). One outlet of such stereotypes can be observed with accentism. This study examines whether seeing a White or a South Asian face impacts listeners’ perception of American, British, Indian English and to what extent listeners’ social network diversity plays a role in predicting their perception of speech. Results showed that intelligibility scores decreased and accentedness judgments increased for all varieties when speech was paired with South Asian faces. However, listeners who have racially less diverse social network have the highest accentedness judgments. Currently, there is a pressing question to understand how to account for the emergence of different English varieties and their differing pronunciations. Results here shed light on to how these varieties are perceived. The implications will be discussed in light of language teaching and linguistic practices.

Data-driven mathematical model of East-Asian facial attractiveness: the relative contributions of shape and reflectance to attractiveness judgements

Facial attractiveness is judged through a combination of multiple cues including morphology (facial shape) and skin properties (facial reflectance). While several studies have examined the way in which people in Western cultures judge facial attractiveness, there have been fewer investigations into non-Western attitudes. This is because stimuli that quantitatively vary the attractiveness of non-Western faces are rare. In the present study, we built a model of the attractiveness of East-Asian faces, judged by East-Asian observers. Therefore, 400 computer-generated East-Asian faces were created and attractiveness rating scores were collected from Japanese observers. Data-driven mathematical calculations were used to identify quantitative links between facial attractiveness and shape and reflectance properties, with no prior hypothesis. Results indicate that faces with larger eyes, smaller noses and brighter skin are judged as more attractive, regardless of the sex of the faces, possibly reflecting a general preference for femininity. Shape is shown to be a strong determinant of attractiveness for both male and female faces, while reflectance properties are less important in judging male facial attractiveness. Our model provides a tool to effectively produce East-Asian face stimuli that quantitatively varies attractiveness and can be used to elucidate visual processes related to attractiveness judgements.

Azijske kršćanske teologije

During the last decades the Christian churches in Asia have been making efforts to discover an appropriate a mode of transforming man and his world. They are doing this through specific alternative theologies that in part rely on the ideas of the theology of liberation and the theological thought of Third World countries. Asian Christian theologies reflect the distinct living conditions of this continent and are thusly also known as »rice roots theologies«.On the examples of India and South Korea the author analyses the diversity of the Christian traditions and the different examples of the use of the gospel in the local Asian context. He concludes that the alternative theological thought in these countries develops amongst their believers a critical consciousness about the social reality.The author ascertains that Asian theological thought is seeking »The Asian face of Christ«, affiliating itself with the transformation of society as well as with the alteration of church structures and institutions. For this purpose these contemporary theologies at times and in places embrace Marxist methods, and there is no doubt that they pay special heed to class analysis and to the class struggle. It is also of significance, the author concludes, that all the Asian Christian theologies are decidely ecumenically orientated which is not only due to the fact they are in a minority position on this continent.223