Belly Area Research Articles

Features of adaptation of the skin of turkeys in industrial conditions

The skin, through its structural features, while performing its functions, participates in the formation and establishment of adaptive processes in the bird’s body in response to the influence of factors of both exogenous and endogenous origin. The purpose of this work was to study the regional and agerelated features of the histostructure of the skin of Hybrid Converter NOVO cross tur keys raised in the conditions of a poultry farm in the Tyumen region. Macroscopic and microscopic studies of the skin of turkey poults were carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology. It has been established that turkey skin has 3 layers: epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layer. The epidermis consists of the horny and germinal layers, the dermis of the superficial and deep layers, where feather follicles lie. The stratum corneum of the epidermis is represented by corneocytes, and the germinal layer is represented by keratinocytes. The thickness of the skin of the back is less than that of the abdomen. At the same time, the thickness of the stratum corneum on the back is less than that of the germinal layer up to 105 days of age. On the abdomen, the thickness of the horny and germinal layers is almost the same at all ages. There is a thickening of the stratum corneum on the abdomen compared to the skin of the back. The skin is thickest on the abdomen and gradually thins towards the back. The epidermis is thin. The dermis is characterized by a dense interweaving of collagen fibers. Smooth muscle fibers in the skin and hair follicles develop by 42 days, and increase in volume by 105 days of age. The thinning of the feather cover in the sternum and belly area, caused by mechanical stress when poultry are kept on the floor, contributes to an increase in the absolute thickness of the epidermis in this area (about 3.5 times greater than in the back area), which is associated with its participation in protecting the skin from mechanical impacts damage.

Daily habits and kidney stones development rate. Literature review

Introduction: Kidney stones disease is a medical condition when hard deposites made of various minerals and substances form inside kidneys. It may lead to clinical symptoms as severe pain felt in the belly area or side of the back. Also it can radiate and reach testicles, groin area, labia. Other symptoms may include blood in the urine, abnormal color of urine, fever, nausea, vomiting. Because of growing incidence rate- adequate question is how can we protect ourselves from kidney stones development by changing habits.
 
 Aim of study: Fundamental aim of study is to demonstrate how daily, routine habits changes may have a huge impact on kidney stones development risk.
 
 State of knowledge: There are a lot of confirmed parameters and factors which can lead to kidney stones devolopment. Factors that increase risk of developing kidney stones include: dehydration, diet (meat intake, fruit/vegetables intake, sodium intake), family or personal history, obesity, digestive diseases and surgery, metabolic disorders, urinary track infections, anatomical abnormalities- obstruction of the kidney, calyceal diverticulum, horseshoe kidney, ureterocele. This group includes many modified factors, so lifetime risk of kidney stones depends also on our habits and way of life.
 
 Conclusion: There are many modified factors which may lead to this disease and because of that it is crucial to improve patients and whole society awareness about them. By appropriate daily habits changes we can significantly reduce risk of lifetime kidney stone disease development. It is important to know that concrete reports and analyses were made and they demonstrated scientifically proven correlations.

ELECTROCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF OTILONIUM BROMIDE USING BORON-DOPED DIAMOND AND GLASSY CARBON ELECTRODES

Objective: Using cyclic (CV) and differential pulse (DPV) voltammetric techniques, the electrochemical research of otilonium bromide (OTB) was carried out over a wide pH range (0.3–12) at glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) and boron-doped diamond electrodes (BDDE). The typical electrochemical behavior of OTB was identified as being dependent on the type of working electrode and pH. This research aims to provide a brand-new electroanalytical technique for measuring OTB in buffer solutions. Material and Method: All experiments employed the typical three-electrode cell of 10 ml capacity in conjunction with a platinum wire counter electrode, a BDDE and GCE working electrode, and an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. NOVA 1.8 software and an AUTOLAB 204 potentiostat/galvanostat were used for electrochemical measurements. Result and Discussion: The electrochemical behavior of OTB, which belongs to a class of drugs called 'antispasmodics' (spasm and cramps reliever), primarily used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and other gastrointestinal conditions characterized by motility problems, painful bowel spasms and distension (swelling and bloating in the belly area), was examined in 0.1 M H2SO4 at BDDE and GCE. The electrooxidation mechanism was also investigated by conducting CV investigations at various pH levels throughout a broad pH range (pH 0.3-12.0). Understanding the mechanism was aided by scan rate investigations, which revealed that diffusion was controlled for both electrodes. The proposed technique was successfully used to determine OTB under optimal conditions.

Size-related changes and chemical basis of melanin-based body coloration in the amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni

Abstract Melanin is a fundamental pigment in animal coloration as it is involved in many different adaptive functions such as signaling or thermoregulation. Two forms of melanin are known to produce different colors (eumelanin: black; pheomelanin: yellow or brown). Here, we explored whether there were intersexual differences and/or size-related changes in melanization of the amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni, a fossorial species with a characteristic black and yellow color pattern of scales. We found a clear effect of body length, but not of sex, on the levels of melanization, which was also dependent on the body region; the proportion of melanin-dependent blackish coloration increased with body length in the dorsum, but decreased with body length in the ventral belly area. We also studied the chemical basis of this coloration using Raman spectroscopy and found that eumelanin was present in both black and yellow scales, but pheomelanin was not found in yellow scales, suggesting that this yellow coloration is caused by the reduction of eumelanin or dispersion of melanosomes and/or perhaps by other pigments.

Spatiotemporal Variation and Driving Factors of Water Supply Services in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of China Based on Supply-Demand Balance

Water supply services (WSSs) are critical to human survival and development. The Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model enables an integrated, dynamic, and visual assessment of ecosystem services at different scales. In addition, Geodetector is an effective tool for identifying the main driving factors of spatial heterogeneity of ecosystem services. Therefore, this article takes the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), the most prominent strategic reserve of freshwater resources in China, as the study area and uses the InVEST model to simulate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the supply-demand balance of WSSs and freshwater security patterns in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2018, and explores the key driving factors of freshwater security index (FSI) with Geodetector. The total supply of WSSs in the TGRA decreased by 1.05% overall between 2005 and 2018, with the head and tail areas being low-value regions for water yield and the central part of the belly areas being high-value regions for water yield. The total demand for WSSs in the TGRA increased by 9.1%, with the tail zones and the central part of the belly zones being the high water consumption areas. In contrast, the head zones are of low water consumption. The multi-year average FSI of the TGRA is 0.12, 0.1, 0.21, and 0.16, showing an upward trend. The key ecological function areas in the TGRA are high-value FSI regions, while the tail zones in the key development areas are low-value FSI regions. Industrial water consumption significantly impacts FSI, with a multi-year average q value of 0.82. Meanwhile, the q value of industrial and domestic water consumption on FSI in 2018 increased by 43.54% and 30%, respectively, compared with 2005. This study analyzes the spatiotemporal variation of WSSs and detects the drivers in the natural-economic-social perspective and innovation in ecosystem services research. The study results can guide water resource security management in other large reservoirs or specific reservoir areas.

МСКТ-семиотика мышц при хроническом остеомиелите бедра и голени

Introduction It is known that the function and structure of the muscles of the thigh and lower leg are closely related to the function of the lower limb, which is impaired to one degree or another in all patients with chronic osteomyelitis. However, the nature of structural changes in the muscles, which, in turn, affect the condition of the bones, has not been well studied. Purpose of the work To study the features of changes in the muscles of the thigh and lower leg in patients with chronic osteomyelitis according to MSCT data. Material and methods The study is retrospective conducted at a single centre of Evidence level IV. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) was used in 112 patients with chronic osteomyelitis of long bones of the lower extremities to study the radiological morphology of the muscles of the thigh and lower leg, including density, muscle belly area, and anatomical features. Twenty patients had chronic osteomyelitis in the area of transosseous elements (pins). The mean age of the patients was 48.5 ± 9.8 years. Males prevailed among the patients (87.5 %). The cause of osteomyelitis in 107 cases was trauma or surgery, five patients had consequences of hematogenous osteomyelitis. Results The results of the study showed that the muscles of the thigh and lower leg in patients with chronic osteomyelitis have pronounced dystrophic changes. In 89.4 % of patients, they were manifested by an increase in the density of the anterior tibial muscle, long extensor of the toes (84.7 %), peroneal muscles (78.5 %) and a decrease in the density of the head of the gastrocnemius muscle (91.3 %). In 10.6 % of the patients, there was a decrease in the density of the anterior tibial muscle, the long extensor of the fingers. In all patients with chronic osteomyelitis of the femur, the density of the muscles of the anterior and posterior groups was reduced, except for the musculus vastus intermedius of the thigh that was characterized by fibrotic changes with an increase in density. Conclusion The data obtained indicate that radiological morphological changes in muscles occur in all patients with chronic osteomyelitis of the femur and lower leg. The most pronounced alterations in the architectonics were in the anterior tibial and gastrocnemius muscles, and the intermediate broad muscle of the thigh.

Case of imperforated anus in children

A 3-month-old female infant came to the outpatient department with the complaint absence of anal opening and stool passes out of the vagina since birth as told by her mother. The birth history revealed that baby didn´t pass the stool after the birth. On physical examination revealed absence of anal opening and no any other birth defect was found. An imperforated anus was diagnosed by ultrasound, which shows the presence of a dilated distal bowel, with intraluminal meconium calcification. An imperforated anus is a defect in which the opening to the anus is missing or blocked. It occurs in several forms like the rectum may end in a pouch that does not connect with the colon, the rectum may have openings to other structures. These may include the urethra, bladder, base of the penis or scrotum in boys, or vagina in girls. There may be narrowing (stenosis) of the anus or no anus. Many forms of imperforated anus occur with other birth defects. Symptoms of the problem may include anal opening very near the vagina in girls, first stool is not passed within 24 to 48 hours after birth, missing or moved opening to the anus. Stool passes out of the vagina, base of penis, scrotum, or urethra, swollen belly area. Surgeries to correct the defect are anoplasty, colostomy and nowadays posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) is performed. The final diagnosis was imperforated anus, while the differentials include duodenal atresia, anterioranus, congenital anal stenosis.

Simulation Based Ambulance and Crew Decontamination Advise During COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study involved a simulation of transportation and basic life support on ambulances carrying coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, using a specially modified mannequin. The mannequin used can spew a fluorescent solution from its mouth to simulate the droplets or vomitus made by the patient and can be detected using ultraviolet light illumination. We determined that the most frequently contaminated areas of an ambulance in the driver's cabin are the left front door's outer handle, driver's handler, gear lever, and mat. The most frequently contaminated area in the rear patient's cabin is the rear door, rear door lining, and handle over the roof. The most frequently contaminated areas before the removal of personal protective equipment (PPE) are the lower chest to the belly area, bilateral hands, lower rim of the gown, and shoes. After the removal of PPE, traces of fluorescence were observed over the neck, hands, and legs. We therefore suggest taking a bath immediately after PPE removal.

Prune Belly Syndrome: A Rare Case Report

Prune belly Syndrome (PBS), a rare congenital anomaly of uncertain aetiologies has been seldom reported among Bangladeshis. Prune belly syndrome is a birth defect that involve three main problems like poor development of the abdominal musclescausing the skin of the belly area to wrinkle like a prune, undescended testicles and urinary tract problems. We report a case of 15 days old term male neonate with PBS. The baby named Shumon was admitted in Dhaka Medical College Hospital with complaint of lax abdominal wall, absence of both testes since birth. He was born by NVD and consulted with a local doctor who commented that the baby was not normal and referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better management. On physical examination the baby weighted 2.7Kg and full length was 40 cm. He was mildly pale, his respiratory rate was 32 cycles per minute with normal breath sounds. Heart rate was 134 beats per minute. His abdomen was flabby with a wrinkled appearance and there were visible peristalses with palpable kidneys & bilateral undescended testes. His B.P was within normal range and cardiac examination was normal clinically and echocardiographically. USG of abdomen showed bilateral gross hydronephrosis with mega ureter. Micturating cystography showed grade-IV vesico-ureteric reflux bilaterally with no urethral obstruction. Serum creatinine concertration was 80 μmol/L, Serum Sodium was 130 mmol/L and Serum Potassium was 5.8 mmol/L. The presumptive diagnosis was Prune Belly Syndrome. Bangladesh Journal of Urology, Vol. 17, No. 1, Jan 2014 p.53-55

Betta nuluhon, a new species of fighting fish from western Sabah, Malaysia (Teleostei: Osphronemidae).

Betta nuluhon, new species, is described from a hill stream habitat in western Sabah. This species is allied to both B. chini and B. balunga, and differs from rest of its congeners in the B. akarensis group in having the following combination of characters: yellow iris when live; mature males with greenish-blue iridescence on opercle when live; mature fish with distinct transverse bars on caudal fin; slender body (body depth 22.1-25.2 % SL); belly area with faint reticulate pattern (scales posteriorly rimmed with black); absence of tiny black spots on anal fin; lateral scales 29-31 (mode 30); predorsal scales 20-21 (mode 20). Notes on a fresh series of B. chini are also provided.

Comparison of a mouth aspirator and a mechanical vacuum aspirator for the collection of Culicoides midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in equids

AbstractIn a controlled field trial, a mechanical vacuum and a mouth aspirator were compared with respect to Culicoides midge catching results. The two collection methods were equally applied to two Haflinger horses. Once every hour between 2 hr before sunset and sunset, midges were aspirated for 3 min directly off from the coat of each horse at the same time. In total, 16 replicate measurement days were made. To get insight into the number of (blood‐fed) midges collected on different body parts, four replicate measurement days were done in which the hourly 3‐min samples for each collecting method were separately collected and counted per body part. Mean number of Culicoides midges collected on the legs and on the belly of the horse was two times and significantly higher by the mechanical vacuum aspirator compared to the mouth aspirator. Although the mean number of Culicoides midges from the other part of the host sampled (head/neck/manes/back/flanks) was comparable between the two methods, the mean number of blood‐fed Culicoides midges was four times and significantly higher collected by the mouth aspirator compared to the mechanical vacuum aspirator. In conclusion, it can be recommended to use a mechanical vacuum aspirator instead of a mouth aspirator for the legs and belly area, where a systematic, stroke‐by‐stroke‐vacuum procedure is recommended. For the rest of the body, it is strongly recommended to use a targeted procedure by visual guidance of the presence of midges. For now, based on this experiment, we can only recommend using the mouth aspirator for this targeted approach. However, it might be worth assessing the use of the mechanical vacuum aspirator in a targeted way for future studies.

Trematode infections in frogs: Do all cercarial morphotypes infect and induce effects on the common hourglass tree frog, <i>Polypedates</i> <i>cruciger</i>?

Trematode infections are known to induce malformations and increase mortality in amphibians. However, not all the larval trematodes induce effects on the host. Nine types of cercariae (A-I) belonging to five morphotypes (oculopleurolophocercous, distome, gymnocephalous, xiphidiocercariae and pleurolophocercous) shed by the freshwater snail, Melanoides sp. were tested. Tadpoles of the common hourglass tree frog Polypedates cruciger at 10 days post-hatch (Gosner stage 27/28) were exposed to the cercariae in a mesocosm experiment. First exposure was carried out to identify which morphotypes induce effects on the host and later the exposures were repeated using selected cercariae, who induced effects on the host. Survival, growth and development of malformations were recorded in 15 and 30 days post-hatch tadpoles and metamorphs. Of the nine cercariae types, only three types., gymnocephalous (Type C) and two pleurolophocercous types (H and I), induced effects on the host with a single exposure. The repeated exposures showed that the cercariae type H significantly reduced the survival of tadpoles (4 replicates; Chi square test, X2 = 15.172, p<0.001) but not the cercariae type I (7 replicates; X2 =2.105, p= 0.147). Both cercariae types induced axial malformations such as kyphosis and scoliosis. The exposures incurred no changes to the size of tadpoles, but types H and I prolonged their growth period. Cercariae type C caused open wounds in the belly area of the host. This type of malformations has not been recorded in frogs before. However, cercariae type C was not shed by any of the snails collected later and therefore replicates were not carried out to confirm its effect. The results show that only some cercariae types induce effects on the frog host, possibly the cercariae types that use the tadpoles as the intermediate host to enter the definitive host and to complete its life cycle. Previous studies have reported two cercariae types induce frog malformations, hence collectively four cercariae types have demonstrated trematode induced effects on P. cruciger.

Patient-Friendly Summary of the ACR Appropriateness Criteria Acute Onset Flank Pain—Suspicion of Stone Disease (Urolithiasis)

Kidney stones form from salts in urine and can travel through or block the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. Stones can cause sharp pain on one or both side(s) of the body between the upper belly area and the back, often called flank pain. Flank pain can also be caused by other things such as appendicitis or diverticulitis (inflamed pouches of the bowel). The best imaging test to identify a kidney stone and possible blockage in the ureter is a CT scan. The CT scan can identify the size and location of the stone, which can predict the likelihood that a stone will pass on its own, with larger stones less likely to do so. A CT scan with contrast fluid injected intravenously into the blood vessels may be needed to differentiate between a stone and a phlebolith, a calcification in a vein, or to determine other causes of flank or abdominal pain not seen on the initial CT scan. Other imaging tests like ultrasound (US) and MRI do not use radiation, but both tests can miss smaller stones. For pregnant women, US is the best initial test. For patients with a history of kidney stones, younger patients, or follow-up imaging to see if a stone has moved or passed out of the body, an MRI or a combination of a US and x-ray test may be used to reduce radiation exposure. See the full appropriateness criteria for this topic at https://acsearch.acr.org/docs/69362/Narrative.

Do male fish prefer them big and colourful? Non-random male courtship effort in a viviparous fish with negligible paternal investment

In the majority of sexual species, there are asymmetries in reproductive effort, with males typically investing more in securing matings and females investing more in producing offspring. This causes males to mate less discriminately than females. Yet males may also become choosy if the following conditions are met: (a) that females vary in their reproductive value, (b) that males can perceive this variation, and (c) that mating with one female reduces the possibility of mating with another. These conditions may be met in the livebearing Goodeidae, a clade of Mexican fish whose females are often brightly coloured and whose males display costly ornaments and courtship as the only means to obtain matings. Males of the black-finned goodeid (Girardinichthys viviparus) have relatively simple, yet costly courtship behaviour, with mating probability depending on the duration of one-to-one courtship episodes, thus by courting one female they must ignore others. We evaluated whether the decision to court a female depends on her phenotype. Three variables of female phenotype were positively linked to the duration of male visits and to the frequency of displays performed by males: belly area, hue (“orangeness”) and size. Since fecundity and offspring survival were also a positive function of female size, we conclude that male G. viviparus evaluate the potential female reproductive value and allocate their courtship effort accordingly. Since male courtship effort is also influenced by female colouration, we suggest that our findings may help explaining the recurrent evolution of sexually dimorphic female colouration in this clade. Amongst sexually reproducing species, females often invest heavily on offspring and mate only after selecting partners carefully, while males invest little on offspring but mate indiscriminately. In other cases, males carry the burden of raising offspring and are choosy. Thus, we see female mate choice in species with a bias towards maternal investment, and male mate choice in species with a bias towards paternal investment. Here we report male mate choice in a species with predominantly maternal investment; a viviparous fish whose females are choosy and whose males invest heavily on courtship. Males made longer visits to the wider bellied, and more orange-looking females, and larger (but not more orange) females produced more offspring which survived better, thus some attributes of females linked to their reproductive value influence how much time and effort males devote to court them.

G4-1 A Study of Multi-touch Screen Installation in Vehicles for Single-touch and Gestural Operations

Touchscreens have been used for human-machine interactions in vehicle for years; researchers paid more attention to using touchscreen displays when driving was the primary task and the driving performance was the main concern. However, it is not legal to operate touchscreen devices while driving in most of modern countries. On the other hand, a driver may occasionally control in-vehicle systems through touch or even gestural operations on the touch display. The situation is becoming more and more popular and worthwhile further study. The current study investigated three different installations of a multi-touch screen in vehicle at high (around the driver's eye height in sitting), middle (around the height of the driver's shoulder) and low (around the height of the driver's waist) positions. Twenty-seven voluntary participants (aged 23.93±0.68 years old) were recruited to perform single-touch and gestural operations in a simulated car cabin. Their performance in accuracy for the two experimental tasks and subjective responses regarding difficulty, fatigue and preferences of the task and interfaces were recorded. The results of the study showed that, regardless of the single-touch target clicking task or the multitouch target fitting task, the averaged errors over all target positions were the least for the middle installation and were the highest for the low installation. When user performance for different target sizes was compared in the gestural operations, participants tended to deviate more when the target size was small (100-pixel diameter) but manipulated the size more accurately when it was big (200-pixel diameter). The subjective evaluation through questionnaires showed that participants preferred the middle installation. The high installation was considered more difficult and caused greater fatigue on right neck, shoulder, upper extremities, wrist, and thumb belly areas. Based on the results of the current study, the middle installation is recommended for its higher accuracy and less fatigue. The upper installation, despite being recommended by other literature, caused greater errors, higher difficulty and fatigue, resulting the least preference. The difficulty and fatigue was not revealed for the lower installation, but it caused lower accuracy in gestural operations. This study could contribute to future design of in-vehicle touch interfaces in that the accuracy of single-touch and multi-touch tasks may be improved by installing the touchscreen at a middle height (around shoulder level). Future studies may consider verifying experiments in an interface simulating real in-vehicle information systems and increasing the number of data collected so that the result can be more applicable in reality.

Development of a low-cost senor based aid for visually impaired people

Abstract The aim of the project is the development of an aid for blind or visually impaired people, considering economic aspects as well as easy adaptability to various daily situations. Distance sensors were attached to a walking frame (rollator) to detect the distance to obstacles. The information from the sensors is transmitted to the user via tactile feedback. This is realized with a number of vibration motors which were located at the upper belly area of the subject. To test the functionality of the aid to the blind, a testing track with obstacles has been passed through by a number of volunteers. While passing the track five times the needed time to pass through, as well as the number of collisions, were noticed. The results showed a decline in the average time needed to pass though the testing track. This indicates a learning process of the operator to interpret the signals given by the tactile feedback.

Morphometrics of the Anterior Belly and Intermediate Tendon of the Digastric Muscle: Sexual Dimorphism and Implications for Surgery.

The anterior belly of the digastric muscle (ABDM) is important in a variety of surgeries including submental lipectomy, rhytidectomy, alteration of the cervicomental angle via muscle resection, the "digastric corset" procedure for submental rejuvenation, the submental artery flap, and reanimation of the mouth after facial nerve palsy. Despite its clinical significance, little information exists regarding the morphometrics of the ABDM or its associated intermediate tendon. This study analyzed a total of 35 intact ABDMs and 43 intact intermediate tendons from 23 cadavers. Measurements were taken of the following parameters: muscle belly area, muscle belly length, intermediate tendon length, and intermediate tendon width at mid-tendon. Normative descriptive statistics are included within the report. Males were found to have significantly longer left-sided muscle bellies than right-sided bellies from males (U = 23.0; P = 0.044), left-sided bellies from females (U = 19.0; P = 0.020), and right-sided bellies from females (U = 12.0; P = 0.035). The morphometry, including sexual dimorphism, presented in this report can aid in the surgical planning and execution of numerous operations performed in head and neck, especially digastric muscle transfer surgery.

Frontalis Muscle Asymmetry and Lateral Landmarks.

To investigate frontalis muscle asymmetry and characterize its lateral interdigitation with the orbicularis oculi muscle. After making a mid-coronal incision and bluntly dissecting to the orbital rim, the frontalis muscle was exposed, marked, and photographed. The right and left muscle bellies were analyzed and compared in both pixels and cm ratios generated with NIH ImageJ software. A ratio of ≥1.5 was considered significantly asymmetric. The lateral interdigitation of the frontalis and orbicularis oculi muscles was measured from the supraorbital notch with a metric ruler. Data were analyzed using 2-sample t tests, paired t tests, log scales, and nonparametric tests were performed for sensitivity analyses. A p value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Fifty-eight hemifaces of 29 Caucasian cadavers were studied for muscle belly asymmetry. Thirty-six hemifaces of 18 Caucasian cadavers (9 males) were dissected for lateral landmarks and average age of these specimens was 73 years (range: 35-91 years). Significant asymmetry in muscle belly area was found in 6/29 (20%) specimens, with the right muscle belly larger in all 6 specimens. On average, the right muscle belly area was 1.23 times that of the left (p = <0.001). The average frontalis-orbicularis interdigitation occurred 3.4 cm lateral to the supraorbital notch. Significant frontalis muscle belly asymmetry exists in 20% of Caucasians cadavers. The right muscle belly was larger on average and in all cases of significant asymmetry. The frontalis muscle interdigitates with the orbicularis oculi on average 3.4 cm lateral to the supraorbital notch.

Otoconia: Mimicking a calcite-based functional material of the human body. From basic research to medical aspects

Abstract Otoconia (calcite-based biominerals) are part of the sensory system in the inner ear of vertebrates, acting as gravity receptors responding to linear accelerations. Biomimetic otoconia are grown by double-diffusion into gelatine-gel matrices, and represent the first example of successful imitation of a biomineral, not only in outer shape but also in composite structure and hierarchical inner architecture. Biomimetic and biogenic (human) otoconia are investigated by X-ray methods, chemical analytics, ESEM, and TEM. Shape development (morphogenesis) as well as (partial) dissolution of the calcite component of the composite underline the hierarchical inner architecture built of more dense rhombohedral branches (with plane end-faces) and a rounded, more porous belly area. Atomistic simulations are performed in order to get insight into very first nucleation steps. Based on the detailed observations made up to now, first assumptions for the function of otoconia are developed, including the questions of density distribution within the volume of the specimen, the surrounding endolymph, as well as anchoring and interconnections of otoconia. A final point concerns the degeneration of otoconia which is caused by complexing agents and/or changes in ion concentrations (and pH) of the endolymph.

Patch Type Granuloma Annulare Imitating Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Afyon Kocatepe Universitesi Tip Fakultesi, Deri ve Zuhrevi Hastaliklari Anabilim Dali, Afyonkarahisar, Turkiye *Afyon Kocatepe Universitesi Tip Fakultesi, Tibbi Patoloji Anabilim Dali, Afyonkarahisar, Turkiye **Izmir Katip Celebi Universitesi Tip Fakultesi, Deri ve Zuhrevi Hastaliklari Anabilim Dali, Izmir, Turkiye Granuloma annulare (GA) is a benign inflammatory skin disease with distinct clinical and histopathological findings. Patch type GA is described with erythematous patches beyond the classical clinical appearance and an interstitial pattern is observed without histopathologically granulomas with disseminated histiocytes among collagen bundles and vessels. Here we report 46 year old woman diagnosed as patch type GA after a punch biopsy performed from the annular bordered patches in belly area, which is a classical area for mycosis fungoides (MF) evolution, and lesions increasingly spreading out within a 2 year period.