Involved Body Part Research Articles

Conservative Approach to Treating American Football Players With Medial Collateral Ligament Grade 2 Sprain During the Season.

The medial collateral ligament is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee. The high-speed pivoting and agility movements that are common in the sport of American Football put participants at an increased risk for a valgus force stress from contact or noncontact injuries. Positional release therapy (PRT) also considered strain/counterstrain focuses on releasing the tension in a tissue through unloading the involved body part. Two male student-athletes participating in football with a mean age of 20.5years were diagnosed by a physician with medial collateral ligament grade 2 sprain. Both patients sustained their injuries in a regular season game with a contact valgus force from an opposing player. After the initial 72hours of compression, elevation, and cryotherapy, the patients were both treated with PRT followed by progressive loading exercises. Following 4 treatment sessions of PRT over the next 6days, the patients started with quadriceps engagement exercises, single-leg squats to 60° knee flexion, side steps, triceps dips, slow controlled lunges, and toe walk. The patients progressed to full body weight squats, single-leg landing, step-up tri-extension, and sidekicks with a leg on table. Then, the patients completed function movements and sports-specific exercises. In this case series, 2 patients competing in intercollege American Football were treated with PRT and progressive loading exercises to facilitate return to unrestricted activities and improve outcome measures. Commonly, a grade 2 medial collateral ligament sprain is conservatively treated with return to sport taking 20days on average. In this type 2 case series, the clinician found success utilizing PRT early in the recovery process, which in these 2 cases lead to restoration of function, outcome measure improvement, and an expedited return to sport. The expedited return to sport occurred at an average of 18days for these patients.

Non-canonical possessive constructions in Negidal and other Tungusic languages: a new analysis of the so-called “alienable possession” suffix

Abstract A distinction between inalienable and alienable possession is considered to be crosslinguistically common. For the Tungusic languages, it is generally illustrated with examples that contrast inherently possessed body parts with body parts belonging to a non-inherent possessor, with the latter being formally marked with a suffix -ŋ(V). However, as we argue here for Negidal (Northern Tungusic), rather than marking ‘alienable’ or ‘indirect’ possession, the suffix -ŋ(i) flags the occurrence of non-canonical possessive constructions; the supposedly straightforward interpretation of the oft-cited examples involving body parts is merely a secondary effect of the particular kind of non-canonical construction involved. This analysis unifies the diverse constructions in which -ŋ(i) occurs, namely with obligatorily possessed body parts, with non-possessible items such as nouns denoting humans or environment terms as well as demonstratives or adjectives, and with other modifiers when the possessee is elided. We complement our investigation with the analysis of the cognate suffix -ŋi, whose main function is to mark the possessor in possessive constructions with an elided head. The function of both suffixes can thus be subsumed under the marking of non-canonical possessive constructions. This analysis can be extended to several Tungusic languages, as the comparison with Negidal’s sister languages shows.

Clinical Application of a Customized 3D-Printed Bolus in Radiation Therapy for Distal Extremities

In radiation therapy (RT) for skin cancer, tissue-equivalent substances called boluses are widely used to ensure the delivery of an adequate dose to the skin surface and to provide a radioprotective effect for normal tissue. The aim of this study was to develop a new type of three-dimensional (3D) bolus for RT involving body parts with irregular geometries and to evaluate its clinical feasibility. Two 3D-printed boluses were designed for two patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of their distal extremities based on computed tomography (CT) images and printed with polylactic acid (PLA). The clinical feasibility of the boluses was evaluated by measuring the in vivo skin dose at the tumor site with optically stimulated luminescence detectors (OSLDs) and comparing the results with the prescribed and calculated doses from the Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS). The average measured dose distribution for the two patients was 94.75% of the prescribed dose and 98.8% of the calculated dose. In addition, the average measured dose during repeated treatments was 189.5 ± 3.7 cGy, thus demonstrating the excellent reproducibility of the proposed approach. Overall, the customized 3D-printed boluses for the RT of distal extremities accurately delivered doses to skin tumors with improved reproducibility.

A new parametric 3D human body modeling approach by using key position labeling and body parts segmentation

The current three-dimensional human models used in the apparel industry are mostly rigid and lack semantic information on body positions and body parts. Therefore, it is difficult for designers to make accurate, fast and effective designs from these models. This paper proposes a new parametric three-dimensional human body model based on key position labeling and optimized body parts segmentation. First, by using experts’ professional knowledge, we manually realize accurate human body data measurements as well as their interpretation and classification, and extract relevant human body features. After deep analysis, measured data irrelevant to body shape have been excluded by designers. Furthermore, the relation between body shapes and body features have been modeled. Second, based on this relational model, we label key positions on the corresponding three-dimensional body model obtained by scanning and segmenting the whole three-dimensional human body into semantically interpretable body parts. In this way, two databases have been created, enabling us to identify features of all segmented body parts, whose combination corresponds to the whole body shape. Third, for a specific consumer, his/her personalized three-dimensional human model can be obtained by taking a very few number of body measurements on himself/herself, making an appropriate combination of the identified body parts, and adjusting parameters of all involved body parts. By comparing the proposed labeled and segmented three-dimensional human model and the existing human models through a number of experiments, the proposed model leads to more relevant results with high accuracy and high visual quality related to real human body shapes.

Systematic Literature Review of Pediatric Male and Female Genital Hair Thread Tourniquet Syndrome.

The aim of this study was to describe genital hair thread tourniquet syndrome (HTTS) and its treatment by pediatric and adolescent health care providers through a systematic literature review. We performed a systematic literature review on pediatric male and female genital HTTS. Studies were included if they involved genital HTTS in males or females 21 years and younger and were published in English. The main outcomes were body parts involved, symptoms, treatment, anesthetic type, providers involved in diagnosis and management, and implications of delayed or missed diagnosis. There were 38 female cases from 33 publications (1973-2020) and 147 male cases from 47 publications (1951-2019). The average age among females and males was 9.1 and 5.1 years, respectively. Among cases involving female patients, 93% of them were premenarchal; patients were circumcised in 90% of reviewed cases of male HTTS. The most commonly involved body parts were clitoris and labia minora in females, and penis and urethra in males. Males most commonly presented with edema and urinary symptoms, whereas females most commonly presented with edema and pain. General anesthesia was used for tourniquet excision in most cases. Male and female genital HTTS were mostly managed by urologists and emergency medicine physicians, respectively. This systematic literature review of more than 150 cases of male and female genital HTTS describes evaluation and management of genital HTTS spanning 7 decades. The main treatment of genital HTTS remains prompt diagnosis and removal of the tourniquet, as well as education on prevention strategies. Delayed diagnosis due to lack of recognition of the HTTS can lead to serious sequelae. Development of national guidelines regarding best practices in management of genital HTTS disseminated to all providers taking care of pediatric and adolescent patients will lead to improved patient care.

Case report on post COVID-19 penile gangrene

SARS-CoV-2, a β-coronavirus, is a highly contagious respiratory pathogen that causes a disease. Penile Gangrene may be a rare manifestation in the post COVID-19 infection period in a non-vasculopathic patient. There may be an association with component of coagulopathy seen in COVID-19 patients. This case report describes a case with gangrene of penis in a young boy with concurrent COVID-19 infection. Clinical evaluation, investigation diagnostic workup and management of the patient was done in a routine basis. It was found that acute onset pain and blackening of his penis which developed after COVID-19 related symptoms in absence of any other identifiable cause. Unfortunately, the patient lost the involved body part and sustained a permanent disability. Early identification of such a morbid and disabling condition can help in preventing further spread of infection and may also prevent loss of organ or body part.

Metaphoric Usage of Human Body Parts in T.S. Eliot’s Selected Poems

The current paper is devoted to study the human body parts metaphorically which Thomas Stearns Eliot recruits in his poems. Eliot is conventionally known of metaphorizing many body parts in order to fabricate situations that embrace certain implications which are often difficult for the reader to decode their real meanings. The poet creates his images and symbols involving body parts through utilizing specific figures of speech including conceptual metaphor and synecdoche that added an artistic value to his poetry. However, the aim of the paper is to figure out these human body parts which are used figuratively, then analyze them metaphorically to grasp their intended meanings easily. In addition, this paper aims at showing how Eliot frames the symbolic images through hiring human organs and how to perceive their connotations within the context. A model of conceptual metaphor has been utilized in the process of analysis for it is adequate to the research’s objective. It has been proved that Eliot focuses on some basic human body parts, particularly the sensory organs, such as ‘eyes’, ‘feet’, ‘hands’, ‘hair’ and ‘heart’. Each one expresses certain conceptions in the sense that ‘hands’ are used as a symbol of work, while ‘heart’ symbolically represents sensations and ‘eyes’ is a metonymy for woman or man. Consequently, these are called organic images.

Scars from Nonsuicidal Self-Injury - What Plastic Surgery Can Do

Scars from Nonsuicidal Self-Injury - What Plastic Surgery Can Do Abstract. Objective: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) can induce characteristic scar patterns indicating the origin of these scars. This frequently results in the stigmatization of the involved patients with far-reaching consequences for their daily routine and quality of life. Despite patients being highly interested in scar correction, the potential of surgical therapy to alleviate NSSI-prone behavior and its help in destigmatizing surgical corrections and esthetic improvements in these situations are not well-known. Method: Over a period of 5 years, we analyzed 600 patients requesting NSSI scar treatment in our outpatient clinic. We collected data on the motivation for a scar correction, on the maturity of the scars, the involved body parts, and potential prior scar treatments as well as the amount, localization, and type of performed surgical procedures in our institution. Results: Stigmatization (57 %) and limitations in choice of clothing (18 %) were the most frequent reasons given for scar correction. We performed 358 dermabrasions and 55 serial excisions on these patients, nine combinations of both, and 13 other procedures. Conclusions: Plastic surgery offers multiple possibilities to reduce the stigmatization of patients with NSSI scars, who should thus be informed early about their choices.

The prevalence, characteristics, and impact of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among physical therapists in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - a cross-sectional study.

Physical therapists are known to be susceptible to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), but the prevalence of WMSDs in Saudi Arabia has not been documented. This study aimed to establish the prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors of WMSDs among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 113 physical therapists in Saudi Arabia using a 6-component questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, incidence, percentages, and χ2 test were used for data analysis. The response rate was 68.8%. The reported 12-month incidence of WMSDs was 83.8%. The low back (63.7%) was the most common site of these disorders, followed by the neck (59.2%), while the hip/thigh (4.4%) was the least involved body part. Incidence was related to gender: females were more affected than males (neck, shoulders, low back); age: younger therapists were more affected than older ones (shoulders, low back); working sector: government sector workers were more affected than those employed in other sectors (neck); and specialty: orthopedic specialists were the most frequently affected, followed by those specializing in neurology (thumbs, upper back, knees, ankle/foot). Most of the physical therapists had >5 periods of neck, shoulder, and low-back WMSDs. The most important risk factor for WMSDs was treating more patients in a day (47.7%). The most frequently adopted handling strategy identified to combat WMSDS was modifying the patient's position (62.8%). Overall, WMSDs among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia are common, with the low back and the neck constituting the most frequently affected body regions. Professional experience and the awareness of ergonomics principles can help prevent the early development of WMSDs among physical therapists. Med Pr. 2021;72(4):363-73.

The role of the body in descriptions of emotions

AbstractThis article presents the first systematic typological study of emotional expressions involving body parts at the scale of a continent, namely the Australian continent. The role of body parts in figurative descriptions of emotions, a well-established phenomenon across the world, is known to be widespread in Australian languages. This article presents a typology of body-based emotional expressions across a balanced sample of 67 languages, where we found that at least 30 distinct body parts occur in emotional expressions. The belly is by far the most frequent, and a dozen others also have significant representation. The study shows how the properties of these body parts – e.g., whether they are internal organs or visible facial parts – partly determine which historical scenarios led to their linguistic associations with emotions, and in turn, their semantic and figurative properties.

How ageing shapes body and space representations: A comparison study between healthy young and older adults

To efficiently interact with the external world, the brain needs to represent the size of the involved body parts - body representations (BR) - and the space around the body in which the interactions with the environment take place - peripersonal space representation (PPS). BR and PPS are both highly flexible, being updated by the continuous flow of sensorimotor signals between the brain and the body, as observed for example after tool-use or immobilization. The progressive decline of sensorimotor abilities typically described in ageing could thus influence BR and PPS representations in the older adults. To explore this hypothesis, we compared BR and PPS in healthy young and older participants. By focusing on the upper limb, we adapted tasks previously used to evaluate BR and PPS plasticity, i.e., the body-landmarks localization task and audio-tactile interaction task, together with a new task targeting explicit BR (avatar adjustment task, AAT). Results show significantly higher distortions in the older rather than young participants in the perceived metric characteristic of the upper limbs. We found significant modifications in the implicit BR of the global shape (length and width) of both upper limbs, together with an underestimation in the arm length. Similar effects were also observed in the AAT task. Finally, both young and older adults showed equivalent multisensory facilitation in the space close to the hand, suggesting an intact PPS representation. Together, these findings demonstrated significant alterations of implicit and explicit BR in the older participants, probably associated with a less efficient contribution of bodily information typically subjected to age-related decline, whereas the comparable PPS representation in both groups could be supported by preserved multisensory abilities in older participants. These results provide novel empirical insight on how multiple representations of the body in space, subserving actions and perception, are shaped by the normal course of life.

Emergência de respostas de ouvinte após ensino de intraverbais em um menino com Autismo


 A literatura tem indicado que intervenções que utilizam os princípios da Análise do Comportamento Aplicada têm produzido resultados promissores para solucionar questões referentes aos déficits nas habilidades de linguagens apresentados por crianças com Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA). Considerando que as dificuldades de comunicação prejudicam a qualidade de vida destas crianças, justifica-se o ensino de repertórios de falante (linguagem expressiva) e de ouvinte (linguagem receptiva). Visto que estes repertórios são funcionalmente independentes, o presente estudo utilizou procedimentos de Instrução com Múltiplos Exemplares para promover interdependência do ensino de respostas intraverbais (“Que mão é esta”? – resposta: “Direita”) na emergência de respostas de ouvinte (“Mostre a mão direita”). O objetivo foi verificar os efeitos do ensino de respostas intraverbais de dizer direita ou esquerda para questões referentes ao lado de uma parte do corpo (repertório de falante) na emergência de respostas de ouvinte envolvendo as mesmas partes do corpo (braços, mãos, orelhas e pernas) e relações espaciais de direita e esquerda em um menino verbal de seis anos de idade com TEA. Foi verificada também a generalização dessas relações para objetos no ambiente. Os resultados indicaram que o treino de respostas intraverbais promoveu a emergência de respostas de ouvinte de seguir instrução para o participante, o que confirma uma das rotas de ensino descritas na literatura (falante-ouvinte).

Accounting for space and uncertainty in real-time location system-derived contact networks.

Point data obtained from real‐time location systems (RTLSs) can be processed into animal contact networks, describing instances of interaction between tracked individuals. Proximity‐based definitions of interanimal “contact,” however, may be inadequate for describing epidemiologically and sociologically relevant interactions involving body parts or other physical spaces relatively far from tracking devices. This weakness can be overcome by using polygons, rather than points, to represent tracked individuals and defining “contact” as polygon intersections.We present novel procedures for deriving polygons from RTLS point data while maintaining distances and orientations associated with individuals' relocation events. We demonstrate the versatility of this methodology for network modeling using two contact network creation examples, wherein we use this procedure to create (a) interanimal physical contact networks and (b) a visual contact network. Additionally, in creating our networks, we establish another procedure to adjust definitions of “contact” to account for RTLS positional accuracy, ensuring all true contacts are likely captured and represented in our networks.Using the methods described herein and the associated R package we have developed, called contact, researchers can derive polygons from RTLS points. Furthermore, we show that these polygons are highly versatile for contact network creation and can be used to answer a wide variety of epidemiological, ethological, and sociological research questions.By introducing these methodologies and providing the means to easily apply them through the contact R package, we hope to vastly improve network‐model realism and researchers' ability to draw inferences from RTLS data.

Practising physical therapy affects professionals in Egypt

IntroductionPhysiotherapy is one of many professions at a high risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The authors focused on job risk factors, frequency of occurrence, pain severity, and features of WMSDs among physical therapists in 11 governorates of EgyptMethodsA survey research interview including a standardized questionnaire was conducted with 220 physiotherapists from different clinics and hospitals in 11 governorates of EgyptResultsThe most frequently involved body parts were the lower back (56.82%), followed by the neck and upper back (14.55% and 11.82%, respectively). Physiotherapists who worked at clinics were mostly affected. Physiotherapists working in the orthopaedic field were exposed to most work risk factors (63.18%), followed by those in the paediatric and neurological fields (25.91% and 10.91%, respectively). Moreover, 66.82% of the physiotherapists were affected while using manual therapy methods in comparison with electro-manual and electrical methods. Female physiotherapists were more involved than their male counterparts (62.73% and 37.27%, respectively). There was a moderate positive correlation among the pain level of the affected body segment, the number of cases managed by the physiotherapist per day, and the number of work hours per day.ConclusionsThe results suggest that physiotherapists should follow a specific strategy to protect their bodies, especially the back areas. The use of engineering and administrative controls like a proper clinic design, application of electronic and computerized devices, and management of work time may help reduce the incidence of WMSDs.

Unbalanced Occlusion Modifies the Pattern of Brain Activity During Execution of a Finger to Thumb Motor Task.

In order to assess possible influences of occlusion on motor performance, we studied by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) the changes in the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal induced at brain level by a finger to thumb motor task in a population of subjects characterized by an asymmetric activation of jaw muscles during clenching (malocclusion). In these subjects, appropriate occlusal correction by an oral orthotic (bite) reduced the masticatory asymmetry. The finger to thumb task was performed while the subject’s dental arches were touching, in two conditions: (a) with the teeth in direct contact (Bite OFF) and (b) with the bite interposed between the arches (Bite ON). Both conditions required only a very slight activation of masticatory muscles. Maps of the BOLD signal recorded during the movement were contrasted with the resting condition (activation maps). Between conditions comparison of the activation maps (Bite OFF/Bite ON) showed that, in Bite OFF, the BOLD signal was significantly higher in the trigeminal sensorimotor region, the premotor cortex, the cerebellum, the inferior temporal and occipital cortex, the calcarine cortex, the precuneus on both sides, as well as in the right posterior cingulate cortex. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that malocclusion makes movement performance more difficult, leading to a stronger activation of (a) sensorimotor areas not dealing with the control of the involved body part, (b) regions planning the motor sequence, and (c) the cerebellum, which is essential in motor coordination. Moreover, the findings of a higher activation of temporo-occipital cortex and precuneus/cingulus, respectively, suggest that, during malocclusion, the movement occurs with an increased visual imagery activity, and requires a stronger attentive effort.

The Relationship between Cold Hypersensitivity in the Hands and Feet and Health-Related Quality of Life in Koreans: A Nationwide Population Survey.

Aim We investigated the distribution of cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet (CHHF) and examined the association between CHHF and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among Koreans. Methods Stratified multistage sampling was used for random selection of 2,201 adults. HRQOL was assessed using the Short-Form 12-Item Health Survey (SF-12). Cold hypersensitivity was measured using a new self-report questionnaire to score the extent of cold sensation in their hands, feet, and abdomen using a 7-point scale. The correlation between CHHF and HRQOL was analysed using multiple regression analysis. Results Cold hypersensitivity was present in the hands of 21.6%, the feet of 23.0%, and the abdomen in 22.5% of participants. Cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet was observed in 17.9%, at least one body part (hands, feet, or abdomen) in 34.2%, and all three body regions in 12.3% of participants. The prevalence of cold hypersensitivity was significantly higher among women than among men, irrespective of the involved body part. Cold hypersensitivity scores in the hands and feet correlated negatively with body mass index, but not with age. The physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the SF-12 were both significantly lower in women with than in those without CHHF. Among men, only the PCS was significantly lower in the CHHF group. Multiple regression analysis, adjusted for sociodemographic variables, age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), confirmed that CHHF had negative effects on PCS and MCS. Conclusions CHHF is more common in women and in individuals with a lower BMI. CHHF has an independent negative effect on HRQOL.

A de novo TBX3 mutation presenting as dorsalization of the little fingers: A forme fruste phenotype of ulnar-mammary syndrome

Ulnar-mammary syndrome (UMS) is a rare syndromic limb malformation caused by heterozygous mutations in TBX3. The name highlights the two commonly involved body parts i.e. mammary gland and ulnar ray of the upper limbs, although a more extensive systemic involvement is also known to occur. Here, we report the surprising finding of a patient with a de novo mutation in TBX3 whose clinical presentation is limited to dorsalization of both little fingers and slightly deep 4th web spaces. We review the literature to confirm that this should be considered as a forme fruste phenotype of UMS.

HAIR AND BLOOD ENDOGENOUS LOW LEVEL BIOMAGNETIC FIELDS CROSS-TALK EFFECTS ON FIBRIN INHIBITION AND ROULEAU FORMATION

This manuscript introduces a microscopic tabletop technique that demonstrates endogenous biomagnetic fields tissue crosstalk; namely the human hair and human blood. This interaction induces red blood cells (RBCs) agglutination and Rouleaux Formations. Man made exogenous static magnets as well as pulsating low-level magnetic fields have been applied to small animals and shown to affect blood parameters. Those experiments showed an increase in blood coagulation time attributed to the treatment. Ever since the development of a tabletop technique (introduced in 2016) numerous papers have demonstrated the intrinsic pulsating low-level biomagnetic fields emitted by the human hair shaft and follicle. Several published hypothesis involving body parts biomagnetic interactions have been published; they range from diseases such as cancer to the role of iron levels in blood biomagnetically interacting with arterial tissue and atherosclerosis.

Proportionate growth of congenital nevi: Blow a balloon to explain.

Any form of congenital nevus in a child is a cause of parental anxiety. Parents are often worried about the future course of the lesion. Some of these lesions grow in extent with the child's growth and involve other body areas; others grow proportionate to the involved body part, giving an impression of apparent growth of the lesion. We use an illustrative "blowing a balloon" technique to explain the apparent growth pattern of some congenital nevi.

Preferential factors and usability effects on vehicle modifications for the Malaysian independent disabled driver

The usability of driving modifications for a person with disabilities is known to be an important aspect in addressing the independent vehicle’s driving capabilities. The existence of assistive modifications such as hand control, secondary control, foot control, and also the wheelchair assisted vehicle, which were developed to accommodate limitations were found to be widely used. A survey was conducted on 202 Malaysian independent disabled drivers from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak, Johor Baharu, Terengganu, and also Melaka. The components evaluated in the survey include the origin of modification used for driving, factors influencing the decision on the type of vehicle modification, usability difficulties when modification is in use, the satisfaction level of product appearance, as well as to understand user preferences when making decisions between modifications. A Likert scale of 1 to 5 was used as measurement, in order to rate the score given by the responses for each question in the survey. As a result, it was discovered that aspects such as the modification colour, shape, the toggle, pedal grip, regulation, modification availability, and movement limitation on the involved body part are among the major factors influencing the driver to make modification for driving purposes. Major factors were also found to influence the driving modification preferences to suit the category of disabilities. It was also discovered that components such as the availability of modification information and emergency driving situations are some of the least important factors influencing the decision to make and select a suitable driving modification. However, these less important components must not be ignored as it also contributes to the improvement for independent disabled driving, and also for the purpose of assistive product development.