Anatomical Elements Research Articles

Information extraction for prognostic stage prediction from breast cancer medical records using NLP and ML.

For cancer prediction, the prognostic stage is the main factor that helps medical experts to decide the optimal treatment for a patient. Specialists study prognostic stage information from medical reports, often in an unstructured form, and take a larger review time. The main objective of this study is to suggest a generic clinical decision-unifying staging method to extract the most reliable prognostic stage information of breast cancer from medical records of various health institutions. Additional prognostic elements should be extracted from medical reports to identify the cancer stage for getting an exact measure of cancer and improving care quality. This study has collected 465 pathological and clinical reports of breast cancer sufferers from India's reputed medical institutions. The unstructured records were found distinct from each institute. Anatomic and biologic factors are extracted from medical records using the natural language processing, machine learning and rule-based method for prognostic stage detection. This study has extracted anatomic stage, grade, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) from medical reports with high accuracy and predicted prognostic stage for both regions. The prognostic stage prediction's average accuracy is found 92% and 82% in rural and urban areas, respectively. It was essential to combine biological and anatomical elements under a single prognostic staging method. A generic clinical decision-unifying staging method for prognostic stage detection with great accuracy in various institutions of different regional areas suggests that the proposed research improves the prognosis of breast cancer.

Comparative anatomy of the middle ear in some lizard species with comments on the evolutionary changes within Squamata.

The skeleton of the middle ear of lizards is composed of three anatomical elements: columella, extracolumella, and tympanic membrane, with some exceptions that show modifications of this anatomy. The main function of the middle ear is transforming sound waves into vibrations and transmitting these to the inner ear. Most middle ear studies mainly focus on its functional aspects, while few describe the anatomy in detail. In lizards, the morphology of the columella is highly conservative, while the extracolumella shows variation in its presence/absence, size, and the number of processes present on the structure. In this work, we used diaphanized and double-stained specimens of 38 species of lizards belonging to 24 genera to study the middle ear’s morphology in a comparative framework. Results presented here indicate more variation in the morphology of the extracolumella than previously known. This variation in the extracolumella is found mainly in the pars superior and anterior processes, while the pars inferior and the posterior process are more constant in morphology. We also provide new information about the shape of gekkotan extracolumella, including traits that are diagnostic for the iguanid and gekkonid middle ear types. The data collected in this study were combined with information from published descriptive works. The new data included here refers to the length of the columella relative to the extracolumella central axis length, the general structure of the extracolumella, and the presence of the internal process. These characters were included in ancestral reconstruction analysis using Bayesian and parsimony approaches. The results indicate high levels of homoplasy in the variation of the columella-extracolumella ratio, providing a better understanding of the ratio variation among lizards. Additionally, the presence of four processes in the extracolumella is the ancestral state for Gekkota, Pleurodonta, and Xantusiidae, and the absence of the internal processes is the ancestral state for Gekkota, Gymnophthalmidae, and Scincidae; despite the fact that these groups convergently develop these character states, they could be used in combination with other characters to diagnose these clades. The posterior extension in the pars superior and an anterior process with some small and sharp projections is also a diagnostic trait for Gekkota. A more accurate description of each process of the extracolumella and its variation needs to be evaluated in a comprehensive analysis, including a greater number of species. Although the number of taxa sampled in this study is small considering the vast diversity of lizards, the results provide an overall idea of the amount of variation of the middle ear while helping to infer the evolutionary history of the lizard middle ear.

Geometric and Topological Bases of a New Classification of Wood Vascular Tissues Part 1: Shape and Arrangement Classifications of Vessels

The need to identify wood by its anatomical features requires a detailed analysis of all the elements that make it up. This is a significant problem of structural wood science, the most general and complete solution of which is yet to be sought. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the use of computer vision methods to automate processes such as the detection, identification, and classification of different tissues and different tree species. The more successful use of these methods in wood anatomy requires a more precise and comprehensive definition of the anatomical elements, according to their geometric and topological characteristics. In this article, we conduct a detailed analysis of the limits of variation of the location and grouping of vessels in the observed microscopic samples. The present development offers criteria and quantitative indicators for defining the terms shape, location, and group of wood tissues. It is proposed to differentiate the quantitative indicators of the vessels depending on their geometric and topological characteristics. Thus, with the help of computer vision technics, it will be possible to establish topological characteristics of wood vessels, the extraction of which would be used to develop an algorithm for the automatic classification of tree species.

Study of Pattern of the Talar Articular Facets in 150 Dried Adult Human Calcanei of North Karnataka Population

Introduction: Calcaneus and talus are bones of the hind foot. Calcaneus being the largest of tarsal bones has three facets on its superior surface for articulation with the talus namely anterior, middle and posterior talar facets. Proper alignment of these two bones is essential for maintenance of the arches of foot. Variations in the talar facets of calcanei are important because they influence subtalar joint stability. In many diseases of foot such as the talocalcaneal arthritis and coalition, intra-articular fracture etc, the size, shape and relation of talus and calcaneus with each other and other bones of the foot must be considered for the external and internal fixation and for other surgical procedures. Objectives: The present work is intended to study different patterns of talar articular facets on the calcaneum to have a better understanding of anatomical elements contributing to subtalar joint stability and to correlate findings of the present study with existing literature. Materials and Methods: 150 dry adult undamaged and non-pathological human calcanei of unknown sex were obtained from museum section of department of Anatomy of various medical colleges in North Karnataka. The pattern of talar articular facets with reference to their shape and number was studied and interfacet distance between anterior and middle talar facets was measured using sliding vernier callipers. The data was subjected for statistical analysis. Results: Based on notable characteristic features, calcanei were grouped into five types:73.3% of calcanei belonged to Type I, 22% to Type II, 2% to Type III, 2% to Type IV and 0.7% to type V. Conclusion: Unique feature of the present study was that all the five types of calcanei were found. Type I being the commonest(73.3%) and Type V which is the rarest type and has been scarcely reported in the literature was also seen in one calcaneum. Pattern of talar articular facets on calcaneum exhibits racial differentiation which could be probably genetically determined. KEY WORD: Articular, Calcaneus, Facets, Talus.

Structural features of the main forest producers at the initial stages of ontogenesis

Based on the analysis and generalization of the research results, the authors draw conclusions about the adaptive reactions of dark coniferous species of Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) and Siberian fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.) during the forest formation process in the province of dark coniferous forests of the Southern Urals. Structural features are manifested in the modification of the xylorhizome, the duration of growth, the nature of rooting, and are a display of the mechanisms of morphological adaptation to ecological-coenotic conditions and to the influence of soil-ecological components of the substrate. The authors researched anatomical and morphological changes in xylotomic formations from juvenile to the beginning of the immature period of the adaptation process, leading to the viability of woody plants in contrasting natural conditions. Since the structural and functional organization of vegetative shoots, renewal is modified in the process of adaptation. It is shown that up to the moment of development of the trunk, differences in the lignified rhizome are more significant, based on anatomical sections, as well as the level of formation of plant tissues and the nature of age-related changes. The rates of formation of certain anatomical elements of wood as a whole are not the same for each species and depend on age-related changes, ecological plasticity, environmental conditions and many other internal and external factors

Commemorating the Silver Anniversary of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer International Workshop on Intrathoracic Staging

Commemorating the Silver Anniversary of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer International Workshop on Intrathoracic Staging

Intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system: What do clinical electrophysiologists need to know about the "heart brain"?

It is increasingly recognized that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a major contributor in many cardiac arrhythmias. Cardiac ANS can be divided into extrinsic and intrinsic parts according to the course of nerve fibers and localization of ganglia and neuron bodies. Although the role of the extrinsic part has historically gained more attention, the intrinsic cardiac ANS may affect cardiac function independently as well as influence the effects of the extrinsic nerves. Catheter-based modulation of the intrinsic cardiac ANS is emerging as a novel therapy for the management of patients with brady and tachyarrhythmias resulting from hyperactive vagal activation. However, the distribution of intrinsic cardiac nerve plexus in the human heart and the functional properties of intrinsic cardiac neural elements remain insufficiently understood. The present review aims to bring the clinical and anatomical elements of the immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity together, by reviewing neuroanatomical terminologies and physiological functions, to guide the clinical electrophysiologist in the catheter lab and to serve as a reference for further research.

The Early Modern Silesian Gallows (15th–19th Century) as an Example of Stray Animals Utilization before the Rise of Institutional Veterinary Care

Simple SummaryThe history of veterinary medicine starts from ancient times. The lack of professional veterinarian education and institutional veterinary services from the Middle Ages to modernity resulted in, partially, a basic realization of these duties by blacksmiths, herders, butcher guilds, municipal doctors, and executioners. Therefore, the archaeological excavations carried out at gallows in three towns of Lower Silesia, together with the archaeozoological analysis of unearthed animal skeletal remains, brought valuable information on human–animal–environment relationships in the past. This includes the role of an executioner or a knacker (in animal population control), the utilization of stray animals, and the use of animal products accessible in a knacker’s yard. This work highlights the history of early modern towns that attempted to solve the problems surrounding the lack of veterinary care, before the rise of modern professional veterinary education, and the introduction of the veterinarian profession in modern human society. The results show that the majority of investigated animal skeletal remains came from adult and healthy animals, and after animal death, some parts of animal bodies were used (e.g., leather, fat, bones) by knackers as sources of additional profits, but the main sanitary problems could not be permanently eliminated.In the past, executioners played an important role in the legal system. Besides sentence executions, they also worked as dogcatchers (i.e., eliminating stray animals or cadavers of dead animals from towns), and were responsible for sanitary conditions within their towns and closest neighborhoods. Archaeological explorations of gallows in the towns of Lower Silesia (Poland) provide evidence of such activities, including animal skeletal remains. Archaeozoological analysis of these materials from the towns Kamienna Góra (Landeshut), Złotoryja (Goldberg), and Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg) are the subjects of this study. Our work also stresses the nature of the executioner’s profession in animal health control and town hygiene maintenance before the development of modern veterinary services. The results show significant differences in the frequency of species and distribution of anatomical elements in accessible assemblages compared with animal skeletal remains unearthed in typical waste pits or classical inhumation, allowing the assumption that the animals were anatomically adults, and their health statuses were generally good. The dominant species, equids and dogs, were represented by skeletal remains, with the predominance of less valuable body parts (distal parts of appendices, caudal parts of the vertebral column). The fragmentation of accessible bone assemblages narrows the ability of larger conclusions (i.e., minimum number of individual estimations). The work enlightens the complex role of executioners pertaining to the hygiene of early modern town communities, a role later replaced by professional veterinarians with all of the consequences of the transition process.

Mangled upper extremity: Our strategy of reconstruction and clinical results

The management of mangled upper extremity is very challenging because the anatomical complexity of the region, the large number of possible involved anatomical elements, and the necessity of obtaining a good functionality. The impressive development of microsurgical techniques in the last decades contributed a lot to the salvage of several extreme injuries with mangled extremities considered untreatable in the past. Such injuries can nowadays be successfully managed by means of replantation/revascularization or complex reconstruction by using simple or complex microsurgical flaps. The more important steps in managing a mangled upper extremity are the decision making, the moment of reconstruction, the debridement, and the reconstruction by using customized methods. The decision regarding extremity salvage or amputation has to be individualized taking into account general and local factors. These factors influence the absolute or relative indication, but the final decision is up to the experience of every single surgical team. The timing of reconstruction is still a large debated subject, but it seems that the reconstruction as soon as possible is in the advantage of obtaining a much better functional recovery. The debridement should be very carefully performed in the attempt to preserve all the essential anatomical elements able to allow the obtaining of enough functionality. Most of these lesions are accompanied by simple or complex tissue defects. The coverage of these defects needs customized simple or composite flaps used both as free and local/regional microsurgical flaps. Based on the experience regarding the strategy and management of the mangled upper extremity in two European hand trauma centers, we conclude that the keystone in savaging this kind of lesions is represented by a very carefully assessment of the patient and lesion, an enough aggressive debridement, and an as soon as possible reconstruction.

In silico muscle volume conduction study validates in vivo measurement of tongue volume conduction properties using a user tongue array depressor

Objective. Electrophysiological assessment of the tongue volume conduction properties (VCPs) using our novel multi-electrode user tongue array (UTA) depressor has the promise to serve as a biomarker in patients with bulbar dysfunction. However, whether in vivo data collected using the UTA depressor accurately reflect the tongue VCPs remains unknown. Approach. To address this question, we performed in silico simulations of the depressor with an accurate anatomical tongue finite element model (FEM) using healthy human tongue VCP values, namely the conductivity and the relative permittivity, in the sagittal plane (i.e. longitudinal direction) and axial and coronal planes (i.e. transverse directions). We then established the relationship between tongue VCP values simulated from our model to measured human data. Main results. Experimental versus simulated tongue VCP values including their spatial variation were in good agreement with differences well within the variability of the experimental results. Tongue FEM simulations corroborate the feasibility of our UTA depressor in assessing tongue VCPs. Significance. The UTA depressor is a new non-invasive and safe tool to measure tongue VCPs. These electrical properties reflect the tongue’s ionic composition and cellular membrane integrity and could serve as a novel electrophysiological biomarker in neurological disorders affecting the tongue.

Carnivoran intraspecific tooth-size variation shows heterogeneity along the tooth row and among species

Abstract Developing morphological diagnoses for fossil mammals requires an understanding of intraspecific variation in the anatomical elements under study. Dental traits along with tooth size can be informative of taxonomic identify for extinct species. However, it is unclear what selective or developmental processes are responsible for documented patterns in tooth-size variation making application to the fossil record difficult. We assessed combined species tooth-type variation and intraspecific tooth-size variation for 19 species to evaluate whether developmental controls or occlusion-driven functional demands influence carnivoran tooth-size variation. We also estimated phylogenetic signal for the coefficient of variation (CV). Combined species tooth-size variation separated by tooth type shows that canines are more variable than molars and lower premolars. We found intraspecific tooth-size variation patterns differ between species. However, comparisons of the CVs did not support the hypotheses that developmental controls or functional demands of occlusion constrain size variation in mammal teeth. Our results suggest that a combination of factors influence carnivoran tooth-size variation, such as differences in ontogeny, diet, sexual dimorphism, and evolutionary history. Patterns of carnivoran intraspecific tooth-size variation suggest a better understanding of dental size variation in extant species is essential for accurate morphological studies of fossil taxa.

Classification of reflux patterns in patients with great saphenous vein insufficiency and correlation with clinical severity.

This study aims to establish a clinically applicable classification of reflux patterns in patients with great saphenous vein insufficiency and to evaluate the relationship between this classification, the demographics, and severity of clinical findings. This is a retrospective study from prospectively collected data of 503 patients who had the complaint of varicose vein. All patients had complete physical examination and their medical history was recorded. Lower limbs of all patients were examined with Doppler ultrasonography. A total of 787 limbs with great saphenous vein insufficiency were included in the analysis. The reflux patterns of great saphenous vein insufficiency were classified into 4 types as: type 1, great saphenous vein reflux without involvement of malleolar region and saphenofemoral junction (SFJ); type 2, reflux involving malleolar region with competent SFJ; type 3, reflux involving SFJ with competent malleolar region; and type 4, reflux involving both the SFJ and the malleolar region. We evaluated the association between the classification of great saphenous vein insufficiency and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), disease duration, clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological elements (CEAP) classification and venous clinical severity score (VCSS). The mean age of the patients was 45.3±11.7 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 2:3. The most common reflux pattern in patients with great saphenous vein insufficiency was type 3 (48.9%), while 14.8% of patients had type 1, 10.4% had type 2, and 25.7% had type 4. Patients with type I reflux pattern were younger in age (p = 0.002), had lower BMI (p = 0.002), fewer number of children (p = 0.008), as well as milder clinical severity score (p = 0.002) compared to other reflux types. Duration of disease symptoms was not significantly correlated with the reflux patterns, but VCSS increased with the involvement of malleolar region as in type 2 compared to type 1 (2.82±1.67 vs. 2.74±2.31), and further increased with the involvement of SFJ as in type 3 (4.13±2.92 vs. 2.82±1.67). Patients with diffuse reflux pattern (type 4) had the most severe clinical presentation (4.59±2.9). We developed a clinically applicable classification of reflux patterns in patients with great saphenous vein insufficiency based on the involvement of malleolar region and/or SFJ. We showed an association between weight, BMI, VCSS, CEAP classification and the extent of insufficiency.

Variability of anterolateral ligament on MRI images – lack of survey standardization or anatomical variants?

The anterolateral ligament is a rotational stabilizer of the knee joint. It is not always clear what we actually see on MRI in the area of anterolateral ligament (ALL).The aim of the study was to evaluate the ALL variants on MRI images to summarize their common features and differences, and to try to find an explanation for the phenomenon of the ALL variability.200 series of MRI images of knee joints were analyzed. The presence of the ALL, the number of its layers, the relation to the joint capsule, and other anatomical features were assessed.The ALL was visualized on MRI at least partially in 88 % of cases. At least partially two-layer structure was detected in 68 % of all 200 MRI series. The wavy appearance of the certain portions of the anterolateral ligament was observed in some normal knee joints without a history of injuries.Determined that the ALL is a separate anatomical element of the knee joint that has a variable, but in most cases two-layered, anatomical structure and can be detected on MRI in at least 88 % of cases. Axial sections help to identify ALL in complex cases and allow analyzing its anatomy, but adding little in the diagnosis of ALL injury.

Monolithic wood biochar as functional material for sustainability

AbstractTrees are crucial to humankind's survival, releasing the oxygen we breathe, growing the fruits we eat, and supplying wood to build and warm our shelters. Heating wood at 300°C‐800°C with little or no oxygen creates wood biochar, a carbonaceous product. Wood biochar monoliths have a continuous carbon matrix and morphological features that resemble anatomical elements in a tree, including xylem and phloem, which transport water from the root and deliver sugars from leaves to individual cells. Structurally and chemically, monolithic wood biochar belongs to nanoporous carbons (NPCs) consisting of carbon nanotubes arrays and integrated graphene sheets. Researchers have extensively explored NPCs as functional materials for applications essential to sustainability, including electrical energy storage, water purification, and CO2 capture. However, the lack of scalable manufacturing technology continues to hinder the large‐scale utilization of NPCs despite their demonstrated superiority in enhancing materials performance. Derived from abundant woody biomass with simple processes, wood biochar monoliths offer a new opportunity for overcoming this limitation. This review documents recent progress in applying wood biochar monoliths in areas critical to sustainability, focusing on electrical energy storage and water purification. This progress has revealed the potential of monolith wood biochar as a greener, more cost‐effective, and scalable NPC in enhancing sustainability and opened the door to a new field that is both exciting and relevant. The review concludes with a perspective on the future research direction.

Population-based, three-dimensional analysis of age- and sex-related femur shaft geometry differences.

The changes in femur geometry that occur with aging and lead to fragility or insufficiency fracture remain unclear. The role of the lower limb geometry, including the femur and femoral bowing, has become a point of discussion, especially in atypical femur fracture. This study aimed to analyze femur shaft geometry using three-dimensional skeletonization. We acquired computed tomography images of both femurs obtained. A total of 1400 age- and sex-stratified participants were enrolled and were divided into subgroups according to age (by decade) and sex. The computed tomography images were used to produce 3-dimensional samplings of anatomical elements of the human femur using reconstruction and parametrization from these datasets. The process of skeletonization was conducted to obtain compact representation of the femur. With the skeletonization, we were able to compare all parameters according to age and sex. The femur length was 424.4 ± 28.6mm and was longer in men (P < 0.001). The minimum diameter of the medullary canal was 8.9 ± 2.0mm. The radius of curvature (ROC) was 906.9 ± 193.3mm. Men had a larger femur length, femur outer diameter, and the narrowest medullary diameter (P < 0.001, respectively). Women had significantly smaller ROC (P < 0.001). ROC decreased by 19.4% in men and 23.6% in women between the ages of 20 to 89years. Femur width increased over life by 11.4% in men and 24.5% in women. Between the ages of 50 and 89years, the medullary canal appears to have increased by 32.7% in women. This geometry analysis demonstrated that femoral bowing and femoral width increased related to aging, and that the medullary canal widened after the age of 50years in women. This cross-sectional study revealed important age- and sex-related differences in femur shaft geometry that occur with aging.

Clinical utility of postprocessed low-dose radiographs in skeletal imaging.

Objectives:Radiography remains the mainstay of diagnostic and follow-up imaging. In view of the risks and the increasing use of ionizing radiation, dose reduction is a key issue for research and development. The introduction of digital radiography and the associated access to image postprocessing have opened up new opportunities to minimize the radiation dosage. These advances are contingent upon quality controls to ensure adequate image detail and maintenance of diagnostic confidence. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical applicability of postprocessed low-dose images in skeletal radiography.Methods:In our study setting, the median radiation dose for full dose X-rays was 9.61 dGy*cm2 for pelvis, 1.20 dGy*cm2 for shoulder and 18.64 dGy*cm2 for lumbar spine exams. Based on these values, we obtained 200 radiographs for each anatomic region in four consecutive steps, gradually reducing the dose to 84%, 71%, 60% and 50% of the baseline using an automatic exposure control (AEC). 549 patients were enrolled for a total of 600 images. All X-rays were postprocessed with a spatial noise reduction algorithm. Two radiologists assessed the diagnostic value of the radiographs by rating the visualization of anatomical landmarks and image elements on a five-point Likert scale. A mean-sum score was calculated by averaging the two reader’s total scores. Given the non-parametric distribution, we used the Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate the scores.Results:Median dosage at full dose accounted for 38.4%, 48 and 53.2% of the German reference dose area product for shoulder, pelvis and lumbar spine, respectively. The applied radiation was incrementally reduced to 21.5%, 18.4% and 18.7% of the respective reference value for shoulder, pelvis and lumbar spine. Throughout the study, we observed an estimable tendency of superior quality at higher dosage in overall image quality. Statistically significant differences in image quality were restricted to the 50% dose groups in shoulder and lumbar spine images. Regardless of the applied dosage, 598 out of 600 images were of sufficient diagnostic value.Conclusion:In digital radiography image postprocessing allows for extensive reduction of radiation dosage. Despite a trend of superior image detail at higher dose levels, overall quality and, more importantly, diagnostic utility of low-dose images was not significantly affected. Therefore, our results not only confirm the clinical utility of postprocessed low-dose radiographs, but also suggest a widespread deployment of this advanced technology to ensure further dose limitations in clinical practice.Advances in knowledge:The diagnostic image quality of postprocessed skeletal radiographs is not significantly impaired even after extensive dose reduction by up to 20% of the reference value.

Assessment of the metastatic potential of localized forms of colorectal cancer

To assess the risk of recurrence after surgical treatment is an integral part of the management of patients with colorectal cancer. The AJCC/UICC TNM staging system, in which the risk is identified by grouping the patients on the basis of anatomical elements, is commonly used. Despite the simplicity of implementation, significant heterogeneity remains within each stage group. A better tool for predicting a recurrence is needed in the era of multimodal treatment. A total of 1350 archival colorectal cancer cases during 2012 to 2015 were retrospectively analyzed; among which the investigators identified 3 patient groups: 1) 53 patients with non-metastatic colon cancer for at least 5 years; 2) 45 patients with metachronous metastases detected during the same period; and 3) 53 patients with synchronous metastases. Among the estimated 31 parameters, the investigators used a multidimensional analysis to select 6 most significant prognostic factors that were included in the final model based on a logistic regression analysis. The resulting model was applied to assess the risk of metastasis after cytoreductive surgery. It was internally and externally validated in an examination group (n=25). The model has a sensitivity of 97.78% and a specificity of 96.23%, improving the risk stratification for metastatic colon cancer. The factors in the model include extramural venous invasion, the severity of budding, the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin, the proportion of cytotoxic CD8+ lymphocytes of the total number of T lymphocytes in the microenvironment, and the ratio of newly formed vessels to tumor stromal microvessel density. Using morphopathological factors, the resulting model allows better consideration of tumor specificity in a particular patient, thereby providing a more individual prediction of outcome than that provided by the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system. By identifying patients at both high- and low-risk for metastasis, the model can be useful to plan treatment and to choose clinical management tactics for patients with colorectal cancer.

Анатомическая номенклатура фронтоэтмоидальной области: современное состояние проблемы

Endoscopic operations on the frontal sinus and anterior ethmoid labyrinth are among the most technically difficult in rhinosurgery. This results from the wide variability of the anatomical relationships of the elements involved in the formation of the ventilation pathway and sinus outflow. In addition, problems arise regarding the definition of suprastructural components that play a key role in the pathogenesis of diseases of the frontal sinuses: frontal recess, ostium, and drainage pathway of the frontal sinus. The article aims to review the nomenclature of the anatomical elements of the anterior ethmoid labyrinth and suprastructural components that are presented as contradictory in various literature sources. The authors pay special attention to the process of rhinological nomenclature developing in the historical aspect, determine its place in general anatomical terminology, call attention to the applied aspects of its use and development prospects. In the author’s opinion, a clear and orderly nomenclature allows to some extent simplifying the understanding of rather confusing anatomy of the anterior ethmoid labyrinth, which is critically important both in practice and in scientific research.

Effect of carbonization on wood anatomy of three Fabaceae species from an Araucaria forest stand in Southern Brazil

The aim of this study was to measure and compare some anatomical elements of wood and charcoal of Inga vera, Machaerium paraguariense and Muellera campestris to support identification of the materials seized by regulatory authorities. For each species, three trees were analyzed. After wood evaluation, all samples (moisture content of 12 ± 1 %) were wrapped in aluminum foil and carbonized in a muffle furnace for 8 hours with final temperature of 450 °C and a heating rate of 1.66 °C/min. The number of measurements was based on 30 readings regarding tangential diameter and vessel density, along with frequency, height and width of rays (in micrometers). After carbonization, changes in cell dimensions and different behavior were observed in the Fabaceae species evaluated. In all species, vessel diameter declined; vessel density decreased in Inga vera and increased in the other species; ray height decreased in Inga vera and Muellera campestris, and increased in Machaerium paraguariense; and ray width and frequency increased in all species. We concluded that due to the conservation of wood anatomical structures after carbonization, the inclusion of this species in a database would be effective to support efforts to control deforestation in the south of Brazil.

The Convergent Neuroscience of Affective Pain and Substance Use Disorder.

Opioids and alcohol are widely used to relieve pain, with their analgesic efficacy stemming from rapid actions on both spinal and supraspinal nociceptive centers. As an extension of these relationships, both substances can be misused in attempts to manage negative affective symptoms stemming from chronic pain. Moreover, excessive use of opioids or alcohol facilitates the development of substance use disorder (SUD) as well as hyperalgesia, or enhanced pain sensitivity. Shared neurobiological mechanisms that promote hyperalgesia development in the context of SUD represent viable candidates for therapeutic intervention, with the ideal strategy capable of reducing both excessive substance use as well as pain symptoms simultaneously. Neurocognitive symptoms associated with SUD, ranging from poor risk management to the affective dimension of pain, are likely mediated by altered activities of key anatomical elements that modulate executive and interoceptive functions, including contributions from key frontocortical regions. To aid future discoveries, novel and translationally valid animal models of chronic pain and SUD remain under intense development and continued refinement. With these tools, future research strategies targeting severe SUD should focus on the common neurobiology between negative reinforcement and affective elements of pain, possibly by reducing excessive stress hormone and neurotransmitter activity within shared circuitry.