External Body Research Articles

Dunking for droplets: Long‐jawed spider (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) bungees on silk line to collect water droplet from pond using its mouthparts

AbstractMany animals have been documented to collect and subsequently transport water for several purposes besides self‐hydration. However, there are few examples where this process involves the use of external body surfaces. Herein, we report on a long‐jawed spider from the Tetragnatha genus using its enlarged jaws (chelicerae) to collect water. Field observations revealed a long‐jawed spider descending on a silk line to the surface of a body of water and collecting a large droplet of water between its jaws, which was subsequently transported to a prey item wrapped in silk within its web. As spiders feed via extra‐oral digestion, we hypothesize that this water droplet was collected to replenish water lost during a previous feeding event or to rehydrate current prey to aid in nutrient extraction and consumption. While the enlarged jaws of spiders in this genus serve in feeding and mating, our observation suggests they can also be exploited for carrying liquids. This appears to be the first documented case of water foraging and subsequent external transport among spiders, revealing a novel behaviour in this group.

How to Distinguish Marfan Syndrome from Marfanoid Habitus in a Physical Examination-Comparison of External Features in Patients with Marfan Syndrome and Marfanoid Habitus.

Marfan Syndrome (MFS) is a systemic disorder caused by mutations in fibrillin-1. The most common cause of mortality in MFS is dissection and rupture of the aorta. Due to a highly variable and age-dependent clinical spectrum, the diagnosis of MFS still remains sophisticated. The aim of the study was to determine if there exist phenotypic features that can play the role of “red flags” in cases of MFS suspicion. The study population included 306 patients (199 children and 107 adults) who were referred to the Department of Pediatric Cardiology due to suspicion of MFS. All patients underwent complete clinical evaluation in order to confirm the diagnosis of MFS according to the modified Ghent criteria. MFS was diagnosed in 109 patients and marfanoid habitus in 168 patients. The study excluded 29 patients with other hereditary thoracic aneurysm syndromes. Comparative analysis between patients with Marfan syndrome and marfanoid habitus was performed. Symptoms with high prevalence and high positive likelihood ratio were identified (pectus carinatum, reduced elbow extension, hindfoot deformity, gothic palate, downslanting palpebral fissures, lens subluxation, myopia ≥ 3 dioptres remarkably high stature). The differentiation between patients with MFS and marfanoid body habitus is not possible by only assessing external body features; however, “red flags” could be helpful in the screening phase.

Sexing Eurasian Eagle Owls by external body and skeletal measurements

The aim of this study was to obtain an effective tool for sex determination in Eurasian Eagle Owls (<em>Bubo bubo</em>), a species without marked sexual dimorphism, by taking external body and bone measurements. Thirty-one individuals were used for this purpose, 16 males and 15 females, and 42 measurements were obtained: 19 external and 23 bone measurements. Three discriminant analyses were carried out: the first with external measurements only, a second one with bone measurements only, and a third combining both. The validation of the classification was performed by cross-validation. The first analysis led to a discrimination function with five external measures, with a Wilk’s Lambda of 0.064 and 100% of the individuals classified correctly. The second analysis led to a discrimination function with two bone measures, with a Wilk’s Lambda of 0.282 and 90% of individuals correctly classified. The third analysis led to a discrimination function with six external and two bone measures, with a Wilk’s Lambda of 0.022 and 100% of individuals classified correctly. The study has shown that external measurements are more efficient than bone measurements, and likely sufficient for sexing. Nevertheless, bone measurements can provide complementary information, although alone they are insufficient for sexing owls, given that the length of the ulna and the nose bones were the only useful bone measurements. It can be generalized that this work provides an optimal sexing method, useful in ornithological ecology, clinical and forensic medicine, as well as in archaeozoological studies.

Experimental study of the influence of the relative humidity of leaves and their link to adhesion losses in the wheel-rail contact

Every autumn, low levels of wheel–rail contact adhesion caused by leaves on the railhead surface are reported by train drivers. These incidents cause problems for the safety and regularity of rail traffic and occur predominantly at the beginning and end of the day when high humidity levels are achieved. At those moments the air temperature reaches the dew point temperature creating moisture on the railhead and oxides which react chemically with dead leaves found on the railhead surface. This article presents the results of a test campaign performed on a ring-on-disc tribometer with the aim of reproducing and studying the development of a loss of adhesion at an imposed slip rate. This type of tribometer enables a realistic approximation of the tribological circuit of a rail–wheel contact. Several samples of pollution responsible for adhesion losses were collected on the French railway network during fall and reproduced in a laboratory on a tribometer under imposed relative humidity and slip conditions. The results indicate the presence of reproducible phenomena modulated by variations in hygrometry and imposed slip rates. The decrease in hygrometry of the external third bodies introduced into the contact is at the origin of the generation of debris from the first bodies in contact. This presence of wear debris is reflected by an increase of the power dissipated by friction. Conversely, increasing the hygrometry decreases the ability of the third body to raise adhesion levels on contact and reduces the generation of debris from the first bodies. The results obtained from the analysis of the force and power quantities related to the contact reproduced in the laboratory allow the authors to confirm that the presence of water has a significant effect on the mechanical and physico-chemical evolution of the adhesion of a rail–wheel contact polluted by a third external (leaf-like) body.

An Adaptive Dance Motion Smart Detection Method Using BP Neural Network Model under Dance Health Teaching Scene.

As a body movement art, dance has its special form of expression. In terms of dance vocabulary, it can be roughly divided into two parts: external body movement and internal modality. In the process of body movement, it conveys information through silent language and the audience directly feels the information given by the dance image through vision. This is the special way of expressing emotion and meaning in dance art. This paper combines artificial intelligence technology and BP neural network (BPNN) algorithm to intelligently control dance teaching and solve complex nonlinear control problems. This paper studies dance teaching based on artificial intelligence technology. In this paper, BPNN algorithm and PCA-BPNN algorithm are used to test the dance teaching training of dance language, dance music, and stage art. The average accuracy of the BPNN evaluation model is 85.35% when the time reaches 80, while the average accuracy of the PCA-BPNN evaluation model is 65.64%. This shows that the accuracy of the BPNN evaluation model is higher than that of the PCA-BPNN evaluation model. Under the artificial intelligence technology, the dance using BPNN algorithm brings more intense sensory stimulation to the viewer because of the accompaniment of music, so as to achieve the infection and enjoyment of beauty and achieve the harmonious unity of sports and art.

SIMULATION OF APPROPRIATE RHEOVASOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF THE FEMUR IN VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF ECTOMORPHIC SOMATOTYPE DEPENDING ON ANTHROPOMETRIC FEATURES

The aim of the study was to build regression models of rheovasographic parameters of the femur in volleyball players of ectomorphic somatotype depending on the features of anthropometric indicators. Materials and methods: 113 volleyball players of a high level of sportsmanship of adolescence (from 16 to 20 years old) underwent somatotypological study according to the calculated modification of the Heath-Carter method. 26 volleyball players of ectomorphic somatotype were selected. They performed tetrapolar rheocardiography on a computer diagnostic complex according to the method of Ronkin and Ivanov to establish the indicators of peripheral hemodynamics and anthropometry according to the method of V.V. Bunak. The mathematical models were built in the package “STATISTICA 5.5” for Windows using direct stepwise regression analysis. Results: Due to the use of multifactor regression analysis, we performed mathematical modeling of rheovasographic parameters of the femur in volleyball players of ectomorphic somatotype, which allows to determine the appropriate values of these indicators taking into account anthropometric and somatotypological features of each athlete. Linear regression equations for 16 indicators of peripheral hemodynamics were constructed from possible rheovasographic parameters of the femur. 4 models were built for time indicators (in which the indicators of the external structure of the body by 59.31 - 78.01% determine the value of the parameters of this group); for amplitude - 5 (coefficient of determination of features from 54.00 to 76.13%); for integral indicators of the rheovasogram of the femur - 7 (coefficient of determination 60.10 - 77.41%). Conclusions: In volleyball players of ectomorphic somatotype up to 16 constructed regression models to determine the appropriate rheovasographic parameters of the femur included 94 dimensions of the external body structure, among them were often the thickness of fat folds, craniometric parameters, girth and anterior-posterior body dimensions, somatotype components.

Work-Related Low Back Pain Among Hotel Housekeeping Workers At Kuala Lumpur

This study aims to identify and analyze the potential hazard and risk that causes low-back pain while cleaning the room and public area of the hotel using risk assessment. The Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC) were used in this study to determine potential hazard and risk that causes low-back pain while cleaning the room and public area of the hotel. In identifying the hazard, observation at the workplace, semi-structured interviews, and data from Human Resources Department were used. Five awkward postures from HIRARC using Rapid Upper-Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) methods with eighty housekeeping workers working in the respective area used as an input in risk assessment. The result shows that The most critical hazard was making/turning beds and transportation of beds activities where the highest risk can be explained (RV = 9). The risk to lower back and sprain, for example, the results of improper technique for manual handling and the medium-risk category (RV=6) is from mopping the wet floor and laundry activities, struck by the chemical containers that may cause external body injury (i.e., a sprain, torn ligaments or muscles, and broken bones). The low-risk category (RV=3) is collecting/ picking up sharp objects, which can cause back and upper limb pain due to repetition of work. The workers may feel discomfort and body aches. The worker was violent to staff also in the lowest risk category (RV=1). RULA assessment result states that all working postures (100%) have a high-risk level. Assessment of worker's posture is done by filling in the REBA assessment sheet for each activity. In the high-level cleaning activity, the neck is bent, given a score of 5. The upper arm is raised higher than the head, given a score of 4. The neck on the Mopping Wet Floor activity bends down, given a score of 2. REBA scores on were high-level cleaning, making/turning beds/mattresses, mopping the wet floor, transportation of beds, and toilet scrubbing cleaning activities were 13, 11, 12, 11, and 10 means that the posture of the worker's work has high risk to the musculoskeletal disorder.

Effect of External Body Acceleration on Solute Dispersion in Unsteady Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow-the Generalized Dispersion Model Approach

Effect of External Body Acceleration on Solute Dispersion in Unsteady Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow-the Generalized Dispersion Model Approach

Improving the detection and reporting of suspicious financial transactions: the Spanish case

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the obligation of regulated entities to detect unusual and suspicious transactions and to report them to external control bodies, as established by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, the European Community Directive and also the Spanish regulations for the Prevention of Money Laundering. This research paper also aims to create a model to identify and report suspicious transactions to improve financial institutions’ current procedures.Design/methodology/approachAccording to the Spanish regulations which comply with the FATF recommendations and the European Community Directive on the Prevention of Money Laundering, regulated entities must detect unusual and suspicious transactions. Within this framework, the present research work analyzes both criteria and procedures used by the regulated entities to report suspicious operations. It also assesses the efficiency of the reports sent to an external control body. For this purpose, both analytical and interpretative methods are used in this research paper.FindingsIn Spain, the current procedures followed by regulated entities to analyze unusual transactions are complex. This results in difficulties to report suspicious transactions involving money laundering. As a consequence, the cases of suspicious transactions reported to the external control body are often unclear and the related process is inefficient.Originality/valueThe creation of a harmonized model with the aim of detecting suspicious operations and analyzing them will improve the detection and the effectiveness of the suspicious operations procedure which are reported to the external control body. However, such unified model should take into account the currently used activities proposed by each financial institution.

Performance of Co-Housed Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon innesi) and Glowlight Rasboras (Trigonostigma hengeli) Fed Commercial Flakes and Lyophilized Natural Food.

Simple SummaryThe ornamental fish trade is a growing, developing global industry. However, on a scientific level, most aspects of aquarium fish nutrition remain to be a totally uncharted territory, awaiting to be explored. Thus, a feeding trial was conducted to compare the long-term effects of commercial flake feeds and dietary supplementation with natural food on the condition of neon tetras and glowlight rasboras, a setup which exemplified ordinary household community tanks. Even though there were no differences in growth between experimental groups, laboratory analyses revealed that the used feeding strategies had different outcomes in each species. Particularly, natural food appeared to cause a pathological lipid accumulation in the livers of rasboras, while no such effect was found in the tetras. The study highlights the need to conduct more in-depth feeding studies on ornamental fish, with special attention paid to their taxonomic origin and diversity.Little to no research has been conducted thus far regarding aquarium fish nutrition. In order to ensure the welfare of house-kept ornamentals, such studies should take into account that there are distinct biological differences occurring between different fish species/taxa, especially in regard to the structure of their digestive organs. Accordingly, a 12-week trial was executed to assess the effects of two commercial flakes and a mix of lyophilized natural food on the condition of co-reared neon tetras, Paracheirodon innesi (Characidae), and glowlight rasboras, Trigonostigma hengeli (Danionidae). The four feeding groups were as follows: (T)—Tetra flakes; (O)—Omega flakes; (TO)—Tetra + Omega; (TOL)—Tetra + Omega + Lyophilizate (twice a week). There were no differences in final body weight (FBW) between the feeding groups of either species, but in the case of neon tetras, FBW increased significantly from the initial value only for the T group. However, histological observations and measurements of digestive organs (livers, intestines) showed pronounced differences between the two species. The supplementation with natural food in group TOL caused lipoid hepatic degeneration only in the rasboras. The healthiest histological structure of livers and longest intestinal folds were found in group T of the tetras and group TO of the rasboras. Whole-mount staining for bone and cartilage did not reveal any significant deformities or differences in terms of bone mineralization. In conclusion, it was outlined that concurrent feeding of co-housed, anatomically diverse ornamental fish species is a highly ambiguous task, because the nutritional strategy applied for a community tank may yield radically divergent effects, most of which may remain unnoticed when depending only on external body observations and measurements. Most emphatically, this was highlighted in regard to the dietary supplementation with natural food—although no significant effects were observed in neon tetras, severe lipoid liver degeneration occurred in glowlight rasboras.

Hollow Women, Stuffed Women: Body Image and the Imagined Body in Patients with Eating Disorders

‘Body image’ is a familiar concept in work with patients with eating disorders, but usually refers only to the distorted way in which the patient views her external body. However, patients with eating disorders can also experience distorted ideas about the insides of their bodies, specifically related to their bodies' abilities to metabolize food and fluids; they often conceive of their bodies as stuffed full of undigested and ultimately indigestible food. This aspect of the dysfunctional imagined body (Lemma, 2010) is often not openly discussed but engenders significant anxiety, perpetuates eating disorder symptoms, and can contribute to the eating disorder patient's need for inpatient treatment. Although acknowledging physiologic and cultural contributions to the construction of a dysfunctional imagined digestive system, this paper ultimately utilizes Bion's alimentary metaphor (Bion, 1962a) to discuss the relationship between alpha‐functioning and the development of a functioning imagined digestive system.

Organizational Justice and Workplace Bullying: Lessons Learned from Externally Referred Complaints and Investigations

Workplace bullying is a serious psychosocial risk which, when poorly managed, results in detrimental outcomes for individuals, organizations, and society. Some of the most common strategies for addressing bullying within the workplace centre on attempts to document and contextualise the bullying situation—that is, the internal complaint and investigation process. Scholarly inquiries of these investigative mechanisms, however, are limited, and most have neglected the influence of organisational justice as an underpinning mechanism in explaining complainant dissatisfaction. Using evidence from 280 real-life cases of workplace bullying lodged with a peak work, health, and safety agency, we identify how organizational justice manifests in externally referred cases of workplace bullying. Specifically, we match complainant evaluations of the internal complaint and investigation handling process to domains of organisational justice, thereby ascertaining potential threats to efforts to effectively manage and prevent bullying in the workplace. Four types of justice—distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational—were identified within the cases. Specifically, in cases of workplace bullying where distributive justice is not upheld (usually by virtue of unsubstantiated claims), the way in which information is gathered and decisions are made (procedural), the way in which the parties are treated (interpersonal), and the timeliness and validity of explanations provided (informational) are all cited by complainants as key factors in their decision to escalate the complaint to an external investigative body. These results signal the need for timely, clear, and compassionate investigative processes that validate complainants’ experiences and serve as a tool for rebuilding trust and repairing damaged relationships in the workplace.

Shrews (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla) from a biodiversity hotspot, Mount Nimba (West Africa), with a field identification key to species

In this study, we collected 226 shrew specimens originating from 16 localities on the Guinean and Liberian sides of Mount Nimba. We surveyed all major vegetation zones from 400 to 1600 m above sea level (asl), including forest and savannah habitats. We recorded 11 species, whose identifications were confirmed by genetic analyses and classical morphometrics. Furthermore, we provide cytogenetic data for five of these species. The shrew community at Mount Nimba is composed of a mix of both savannah- and forest-dependent species, which is related to the peculiar position of Mount Nimba situated at the transition between lowland rainforest to the south and Guinean woodlands to the north. We recorded 11 species of shrews in syntopy in lowland rainforest, seven in edaphic savannah and mountain forest, and five in high-altitude savannah at 1600 m asl. Based on morphometric analyses, we show that these syntopic species separate along a size axis, allowing species to occupy different ecological niches, which we speculate allows them to access different food resources. We also highlight that Crocidura theresae Heim de Balsac, 1968 from Mount Nimba has a different karyotype from that described in Côte d'Ivoire. Finally, we develop a novel identification key for shrews from Mount Nimba using external characters and standard body measurements, allowing it to be used in the field on live specimens. In total 12 shrew species are now known from Mount Nimba, which highlights its exceptional position as a tropical African biodiversity hotspot.

Wetting properties of dehydrated biofilms under different growth conditions

Biofilms are resilient to environmental conditions and often resistant even to strong disinfectants. It is crucial to investigate their interfacial properties, which can be effectively characterized by wetting analysis. Wetting phenomena on biofilm surfaces have been poorly investigated in literature, in particular a systematic study of wetting on real biofilm-coated substrates including the application of external body forces (forced wetting, i.e.: centrifugal and gravitational forces) is missing. The aim of this work is to study the role of nutrient and shear flow conditions on wetting properties of Pseudomonas fluorescens dehydrated biofilms, grown on glass substrates. An innovative device (Kerberos®), capable to study spreading/sliding behavior under the application of external body forces, is used here for a systematic analysis of wetting/de-wetting liquid droplets on horizontal substrates under the action of tangential forces. Results prove that, under different growth conditions, (i.e., nutrients and imposed flow), biofilms exhibit different wetting properties. At lower nutrient/shear flow conditions, biofilms show spreading/sliding behavior close to that of pure glass. At higher nutrient and shear flow conditions, droplets on biofilms show spreading followed by imbibition soon after deposition, which leads to peculiar droplet depinning during the rotation test. Wetting properties are derived as a function of the rotation speed from both top and side views videoframes through a dedicated image analysis technique. A detailed analysis of biofilm formation and morphology/topography is also provided here.

Region-of-interest analysis approaches in neuroimaging studies of body ownership: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis.

How do we feel that we own our body? By manipulating the integration of multisensory signals and creating the illusory experience of owning external body parts and entire bodies, researchers have investigated the neurofunctional correlates of body ownership. Recent attempts to synthesize the neuroimaging literature of body ownership through meta-analysis have shown partly inconsistent results. A large proportion of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) findings on body ownership include analyses based on regions of interest (ROIs). This approach can produce inflated findings when results are synthesized in meta-analyses. We conducted a systematic search of the fMRI literature of ownership of body parts and entire bodies. Three activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses were conducted, testing the impact of including ROI-based findings. When both whole-brain and ROI-based results were included, frontal and posterior parietal multisensory areas were associated with body ownership. When only ROI-based results were included, larger areas of the frontal and posterior parietal cortices and the middle occipital gyrus were associated with body ownership. A whole-brain meta-analysis, excluding ROI-based results, found no significant convergence of activation across the brain. These findings highlight the difficulty of quantitatively synthesizing a neuroimaging field where a large part of the literature is based on findings from ROI-based analyses. We discuss these findings in the light of current practices within this field of research and highlight current problems of meta-analytic approaches of body ownership. We recommend the sharing of unthresholded data as a means to facilitate future meta-analyses of the neuroimaging literature of body ownership.

Systematics and Biogeography of the New World Genus Plumolepilius (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Plumolepilius Barrios-Izás &amp; Anderson, 2016 is a leaf litter weevil genus that inhabits montane broadleaf forests from southern Mexico to northern Panama. The genus consists of 27 species, 22 distributed in the Chiapas Highlands province (Mexican Transition Zone) and 5 found in the Pacific dominion (Neotropical region) in Costa Rica and Panamá. Here, we analyze the phylogenetic relationships of the species of Plumolepilius based on 20 external body characters and 9 characters from the genitalia. The first dichotomy of the cladogram separates two species from the Pacific dominion from the remaining species of Plumolepilius from the Chiapas Highlands province and three species restricted to the Pacific dominion. We hypothesize that redundant distributions in the taxon-area cladogram of the genus may be due to dispersal events, probably during the Pleistocene glaciations.

On the Underlying Drag-Reduction Mechanisms of Flow-Control Strategies in a Transitional Channel Flow: Temporal Approach

The underlying mechanisms of three different flow-control strategies on drag reduction in a channel flow are investigated by direct numerical simulations at friction Reynolds numbers ranging from 65 to 85. These strategies include the addition of long-chain polymers, the incorporation of slip surfaces, and the application of an external body force. While it has been believed that such methods lead to a skin-friction reduction by controlling near-wall flow structures, the underlying mechanisms at play are still not as clear. In this study, a temporal analysis is employed to elucidate underlying drag-reduction mechanisms among these methods. The analysis is based on the lifetime of intermittent phases represented by the active and hibernating phases of a minimal turbulent channel flow (Xi and Graham, Phys Rev Lett 2010). At a similar amount of drag reduction, the polymer and slip methods show a similar mechanism, while the body force method is different. The polymers and slip surfaces cause hibernating phases to happen more frequently, while the duration of active phases is decreased. However, the body forces cause hibernating phases to happen less frequently but prolong its duration to achieve a comparable amount of drag reduction. A possible mechanism behind the body force method is associated with its unique roller-like vortical structures formed near the wall. These structures appear to prevent interactions between inner and outer regions by which hibernating phases are prolonged. It should motivate adaptive flow-control strategies to exploit the distinct underlying mechanisms for robust control of turbulent drag at low Reynolds numbers.

Lung ultrasound volume sweep imaging for respiratory illness: a new horizon in expanding imaging access

BackgroundRespiratory illness is a leading cause of morbidity in adults and the number one cause of mortality in children, yet billions of people lack access to medical imaging to assist...

A Genetic Basis for Improving the Reproductive Qualities and Productivity of South-Kazakh Merinoes.

Food shortages may be among the most significant negative consequences of overpopulation. In order to meet the nutritional needs of livestock origin, the number of available animals cannot be increased; however, ways must be sought to increase production per livestock unit. Livestock breeding is the science and art of establishing genes that are effective in the economical production of livestock, which creates superior livestock and poultry. The quality of the main stock of animals, the characteristics of the initial population according to the main characteristics of breeding, biological and internal characteristics, biochemical parameters of sheep blood with different genotypes, and its economic efficiency have been studied to achieve the aim of the present study. The animal subjects in this study were the South Caucasian merino sheep (Group I) and the mixed breed sheep (male of Australian merino x female of South Kazakhstan merino) (Group II). The age-related changes in the body weight of the resulting offspring were studied by weighing them at birth and 4, 7, and 18 months of age. Moreover, external body mass measurements were taken from these animals at the same time. In addition, absolute, daily average, and relative increases in their live weight were determined based on the weighting data and the considered blood parameters. According to the results of the present investigation, relatively high values of variability coefficients of blood acid capacity, globulin content, aldolase activity, alkalinity, and acid phosphatase were reported. The levels of total protein, albumin, globulin, and haptoglobin of the second group were 7.42%, 27.64%, 12.9%, and 9.7%, respectively, which had a significant increase, compared to those in the first group (P<0.05). The scientific research data are reflected and proved in this paper, which can serve as a specific contribution to zootechnical science to use the breeding-tribal work in practice and conditions of different forms of ownership. Moreover, the results of this study can be useful in the improvement of breeding-tribal work and technology of high quality, compass well as competitive and ecologically clean sheep production in the conditions of maximum year-round seasonal use of foothill and foothill-steppe pastures in the south of Kazakhstan.

Small bowel to closest human body surface distance calculation through a custom-made software using CT-based datasets.

Screening of the gastrointestinal tract is imperative for the detection and treatment of physiological and pathological disorders in humans. Ingestible devices (e.g., magnetic capsule endoscopes) represent an alternative to conventional flexible endoscopy for reducing the invasiveness of the procedure and the related patient's discomforts. However, to properly design localization and navigation strategies for capsule endoscopes, the knowledge of anatomical features is paramount. Therefore, authors developed a semi-automatic software for measuring the distance between the small bowel and the closest human external body surface, using CT colonography images. In this study, volumetric datasets of 30 patients were processed by gastrointestinal endoscopists with the dedicated custom-made software and results showed an average distance of 79.29 ± 23.85 mm.