Leg Segments Research Articles

Differences in lower leg kinetics of soccer instep kicking between female and male players

ABSTRACT We aimed to clarify the difference in lower leg segment kinetics of soccer instep kicking between female and male players. Instep kicking motions of seven female and seven male university soccer players were captured at 500 Hz. Lower leg angular velocity, knee joint moment and the interaction moment acting on the lower leg were calculated. Discrete variables were compared using two sample-t-test, and statistical parametric mapping were used to compare the time-series changes between the two groups. Although female players maintained a comparable magnitude of lower leg angular velocity, they exhibited significantly lower knee extension moment in the latter part of kicking and significantly smaller forward angular impulse due to that moment. In contrast, female players were found to have a comparable magnitude of angular impulse due to forward component of interaction moment to that of male players. Eventually, female players come to have significantly larger ratio of angular impulses (forward interaction moment/knee extension moment) than male players. It can be considered that the forward component of interaction moment acting on the lower leg of female players may compensate their reduced exertion of knee extension moment, thereby achieving a comparable lower leg angular velocity to that of male players.

A new species of Tharybis (Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida: Tharybidae) from northern Taiwan

A new species Tharybis kueishanensis sp. n. (Copepoda: Calanoida: Tharybidae) is described from the inshore surface waters of Kueishan Island off northern Taiwan, which is the first report of Tharybis from the China Seas. Its female is distinguished from the other species of Tharybis by the total body length (1.89-2.12 mm) larger than the other species, the shape of the genital double-somite, which is slightly asymmetrical with a small notch on the distal margin of the right side, and the length of the inner terminal spine of leg 5, which is about 1.5 times of the terminal spiniform projections. The male is distinguished by the presence of 3 triangular projections at the inner middle margin and the tip of the distal segment of the right leg 5.

A new species Unionicola (Dimockatax stat. rev.) haungthayawensis sp. nov. (Trombidiformes: Unionicolidae) from the freshwater mussel Lamellidens generosus (Gould, 1847) in Myanmar

Unionicola (Dimockatax stat. rev.) haungthayawensis sp. nov. is described from the freshwater mussel Lamellidens generosus (Gould, 1847) (Bivalvia: Unionidae). The mites were collected from two sites in Myanmar. The mites were examined morphologically under the light microscope and their mitochondrial COI gene sequences have been obtained. Unionicola (Dimockatax stat. rev.) haungthayawensis sp. nov. is distinguished from another Asian member of the subgenus, U. (D.) tumidoides Vidrine, 1986, by the size of idiosoma (for males), and by the length of leg segments (for males and females) and chaetotaxy of the legs. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that these mites are phylogenetically close to two North American species belonging this subgenus, i.e. U. (Dimockatax stat. rev.) tumida (Wolcott, 1898) and U. (Dimockatax stat. rev.) ernstingi Edwards et al., 2009 (uncorrected COI p-distance = 13.6% and 17.3%, respectively). In this paper, we also restore Dimockatax Vidrine, 1992 stat. rev. as a valid subgenus, because it was supported by a broad-scale phylogenetic research.

Short Communication: A new species of tarantula of the genus Orphnaecus Simon, 1892 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from the Province of Dinagat Islands, Philippines

Abstract. Salamanes JJDP, Santos JMJ, Austria ES, Villancio GGS. 2022. Short Communication: A new species of tarantula of the genus Orphnaecus Simon, 1892 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from the Province of Dinagat Islands, Philippines. Biodiversitas 23: 4283-4288. Orphnaecus adamsoni sp. nov., a new species of tarantula of the genus Orphnaecus Simon, 1892 is described and illustrated based on the specimens collected from the Province of Dinagat Islands, Philippines. It closely resembles O. kwebaburdeos (Barrion-Dupo, Barrion & Rasalan, 2015). However, it can be easily distinguished by having a rounded carapace, shorter leg segments, more clavate-paddle shaped maxillary lyra, and a different habitat. This mygalomorph spider discovery constitutes the fifth species described for Orphnaecus and the fourth record in the Philippines.

New record of a rare copepod, Metridia bicornuta Davis, 1949 (Calanoida, Metridinidae) for the South China Sea

Abstract The genus Metridia Boeck, 1864 is widely distributed in the global ocean, but only 9 species of Metridia have been recorded from the China seas. Here we report the rare copepod Metridia bicornuta Davis, 1949 for the first time for the South China Sea. One specimen was collected from the southern basin of the South China Sea (13°0.21′N 113°0.21′E) at depths of 500-800 m. Females of this species differ from those of congeneric species by the following features: (i) Prosome 1.5 times as long as urosome; (ii) forehead with lateral points projecting on both sides; (iii) genital somite 1.8 times as long as the second somite; (iv) distal segment of fifth swimming leg (P5) with a small outer marginal spine and 3 subequal robust terminal setae. This finding expands the known global distribution of M. bicornuta, and increases the number of copepod species in the China seas.

The Daphnia carapace and other novel structures evolved via the cryptic persistence of serial homologs

Understanding how novel structures arise is a central question in evolution. Novel structures are often defined as structures that are not derived from (homologous to) any structure in the ancestor.1 The carapace of the crustacean Daphnia magna is a bivalved "cape" of exoskeleton. Shiga etal.2 proposed that the carapace of crustaceans like Daphnia and many other plate-like outgrowths in arthropods are novel structures that arose through the repeated co-option of genes like vestigial that also pattern insect wings.2-4 To determine whether the Daphnia carapace is a novel structure, we compare previous functional work2 with the expression of genes known to pattern the proximal leg region (pannier, araucan, and vestigial)5,6 between Daphnia, Parhyale, and Tribolium. Our results suggest that the Daphnia carapace did not arise by co-option but instead derived from an exite (lateral leg lobe) that emerges from an ancestral proximal leg segment that was incorporated into the Daphnia body wall. The Daphnia carapace, therefore, appears to be homologous to the Parhyale tergal plate and the insect wing.5 Remarkably, the vestigial-positive tissue that gives rise to the Daphnia carapace appears to be present in Parhyale7 and Tribolium as a small, inconspicuous protrusion. Thus, rather than a novel structure resulting from gene co-option, the Daphnia carapace appears to have arisen from a shared, ancestral tissue (morphogenetic field) that persists in a cryptic state in other arthropod lineages. Cryptic persistence of unrecognized serial homologs may thus be a general solution for the origin of novel structures.

110. A Multi-Species Approach to Limb Regeneration, From Fins to Feet

Purpose: The study of limb and appendage regeneration, which is prevalent in various forms in the animal kingdom, may inform novel strategies for wound healing and regenerative medicine. The first critical step in appendage regeneration is re-epithelialization to form a specialized epidermis, known as the regeneration epidermis, which functions as a signaling center to induce reformation of the structure from underlying mesenchyme in the amputation stump. Despite its universal necessity in appendage regeneration among different species, widely conserved factors defining the regeneration epidermis have not been identified. Methods: Zebrafish caudal fin and mouse digit were used as models for appendage regeneration. The regeneration epidermis of zebrafish caudal fin was profiled with single-cell RNA sequencing. Immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization were used to characterize gene expression. Zebrafish null mutants were generated with the CRISPR/Cas-9 system. Epidermal-specific, inducible deletion mouse mutants were produced by crossing mice expressing CreER driven by the Krt14 promoter to others harboring floxed alleles of the target genes. Discarded leg segments from staged human amputations were obtained to assay for Sp expression. Results: Single-cell RNA sequencing in regenerating zebrafish fin revealed an enriched cell cluster marked by the Sp transcription factor family. Immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization confirmed the expression of Sp family members in the basal epidermis of regenerating caudal fin as well as regenerating mouse digits. CRISPR/Cas-9 was used to generate null mutants in zebrafish for several Sp genes, which demonstrate a variety of skeletal defects. Mice deficient for Sp genes exhibit distal limb defects, while induced deletion of in the basal epidermis of adult mice before digit amputation display impaired bone outgrowth, suggesting a critical role in this process. Intriguingly, we also detected Sp transcripts in the wound epidermis of human leg amputations. Upcoming work will identify transcriptional targets of Sp genes in regenerating mouse digits and human leg amputation wounds with CUT&RUN sequencing. Conclusion: Sp transcription factors may represent conserved genes that participate in appendage regeneration across various species. Future work will define the role of these factors in regeneration-linked gene expression, as well as explore the idea that their expression may be remnants of an incomplete limb regeneration program in humans.

Interspecific variation in sex-specific gustatory organs in Drosophila.

Drosophila males use leg gustatory bristles to discriminate between male and female cuticular pheromones as an important part of courtship behavior. In Drosophila melanogaster, several male-specific gustatory bristles are present on the anterior surface of the first tarsal segment of the prothoracic leg, in addition to a larger set of gustatory bristles found in both sexes. These bristles are thought to be specialized for pheromone detection. Here, we report the number and location of sex-specific gustatory bristles in 27 other Drosophila species. Although some species have a pattern similar to D. melanogaster, others lack anterior male-specific bristles but have many dorsal male-specific gustatory bristles instead. Some species have both anterior and dorsal male-specific bristles, while others lack sexual dimorphism entirely. In several distantly related species, the number of gustatory bristles is much greater in males than in females due to a male-specific transformation of ancestrally mechanosensory bristles to a chemosensory identity. This variation in the extent and pattern of sexual dimorphism may affect the formation and function of neuronal circuits that control Drosophila courtship and contribute to the evolution of mating behavior.

Thorax-Segment- and Leg-Segment-Specific Motor Control for Adaptive Behavior.

We have just started to understand the mechanisms underlying flexibility of motor programs among segmental neural networks that control each individual leg during walking in vertebrates and invertebrates. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying curve walking in the stick insect Carausius morosus during optomotor-induced turning. We wanted to know, whether the previously reported body-side specific changes in a two-front leg turning animal are also observed in the other thoracic leg segments. The motor activity of the three major leg joints showed three types of responses: 1) a context-dependent increase or decrease in motor neuron (MN) activity of the antagonistic MN pools of the thorax-coxa (ThC)-joint during inside and outside turns; 2) an activation of 1 MN pool with simultaneous cessation of the other, independent of the turning direction in the coxa-trochanteral (CTr)-joint; 3) a modification in the activity of both FTi-joint MN pools which depended on the turning direction in one, but not in the other thorax segment. By pharmacological activation of the meso- or metathoracic central pattern generating networks (CPG), we show that turning-related modifications in motor output involve changes to local CPG activity. The rhythmic activity in the MN pools of the ThC and CTr-joints was modified similarly to what was observed under control conditions in saline. Our results indicate that changes in meso- and metathoracic motor activity during curve walking are leg-joint- and thorax-segment-specific, can depend on the turning direction, and are mediated through changes in local CPG activity.

A new species of Breviconia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Ancorabolidae Sars) from the Bering Sea, northern Pacific Ocean (Russia)

The finding of Breviconia andrei sp. nov. in the Russian Bering Sea enabled the clear-cut phylogenetic characterization of the former monotypic genus Breviconia Conroy-Dalton & Huys, 2000 as a monophylum. Comparison of the new species with B. australis (George, 1998) and other members of the subfamily Ancorabolinae Sars, 1909 yielded four autapomorphies that unambiguously support the monophyletic state of Breviconia: (1) an elongated and approximately 90°-curved mandibular gnathobase, (2) reduction of the maxillar endopod, (3) maxillar endites carrying 2 instead of 3 setae, and (4) loss of the minute seta on the maxillipedal claw. For B. andrei sp. nov., two autapomorphies could be detected, namely, (1) the development of dorsal tubercles on the P5-bearing body somite and (2) the remarkable elongation of the first endopodal segment of the first swimming leg that is twice as long as the whole exopod. Of particular interest is the presence of a 3-segmented endopod in the third swimming leg of the male of B. andrei sp. nov. It disproves the current assumption that the Ancorabolinae are characterized by (among others) the derived presence of an only 2-segmented endopod in the male’s third swimming leg.

Three-year quantitative magnetic resonance imaging and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy study in lower limb muscle in dysferlinopathy.

BackgroundNatural history studies in neuromuscular disorders are vital to understand the disease evolution and to find sensitive outcome measures. We performed a longitudinal assessment of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS) outcome measures and evaluated their relationship with function in lower limb skeletal muscle of dysferlinopathy patients.MethodsQuantitative MRI/31P MRS data were obtained at 3 T in two different sites in 54 patients and 12 controls, at baseline, and three annual follow‐up visits. Fat fraction (FF), contractile cross‐sectional area (cCSA), and muscle water T2 in both global leg and thigh segments and individual muscles and 31P MRS indices in the anterior leg compartment were assessed. Analysis included comparisons between patients and controls, assessments of annual changes using a linear mixed model, standardized response means (SRM), and correlations between MRI and 31P MRS markers and functional markers.ResultsPosterior muscles in thigh and leg showed the highest FF values. FF at baseline was highly heterogeneous across patients. In ambulant patients, median annual increases in global thigh and leg segment FF values were 4.1% and 3.0%, respectively (P < 0.001). After 3 years, global thigh and leg FF increases were 9.6% and 8.4%, respectively (P < 0.001). SRM values for global thigh FF were over 0.8 for all years. Vastus lateralis muscle showed the highest SRM values across all time points. cCSA decreased significantly after 3 years with median values of 11.0% and 12.8% in global thigh and global leg, respectively (P < 0.001). Water T2 values in ambulant patients were significantly increased, as compared with control values (P < 0.001). The highest water T2 values were found in the anterior part of thigh and leg. Almost all 31P MRS indices were significantly different in patients as compared with controls (P < 0.006), except for pHw, and remained, similar as to water T2, abnormal for the whole study duration. Global thigh water T2 at baseline was significantly correlated to the change in FF after 3 years (ρ = 0.52, P < 0.001). There was also a significant relationship between the change in functional score and change in FF after 3 years in ambulant patients (ρ = −0.55, P = 0.010).ConclusionsThis multi‐centre study has shown that quantitative MRI/31P MRS measurements in a heterogeneous group of dysferlinopathy patients can measure significant changes over the course of 3 years. These data can be used as reference values in view of future clinical trials in dysferlinopathy or comparisons with quantitative MRI/S data obtained in other limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy subtypes.

Spatial variation in mechanical properties along the sciatic and tibial nerves: An ultrasound shear wave elastography study

Ultrasound shear wave elastography has become a promising method in peripheral neuropathy evaluation. Shear wave velocity, a surrogate measure of stiffness, tends to increase in peripheral neuropathies regardless of etiology. However, little is known about the spatial variation in shear wave velocity of healthy peripheral nerves and how tensile loading is distributed along their course. Sixty healthy young adults were scanned using ultrasound shear wave elastography. Five regions of the sciatic (SciaticPROXIMAL, SciaticDISTAL) and tibial nerve (TibialPROXIMAL, TibialINTERMEDIATE, and TibialDISTAL) were assessed in two hip positions that alter nerve tension: 1) neutral in supine position; and 2) flexed at 90°. Knee and ankle remained in full-extension and neutral position. We observed spatial variations in shear wave velocity along the sciatic and tibial nerve (P < 0.0001). Shear wave velocities were significantly different between all nerve locations with the exception of SciaticDISTAL vs. TibialINTERMEDIATE (P = 0.999) and TibialPROXIMAL vs. TibialINTERMEDIATE (P = 0.708), and tended to increase in the proximal-distal direction at both upper and lower leg segments. Shear wave velocity increased with hip flexion (+54.3%; P < 0.0001), but the increase was not different among nerve locations (P = 0.233). This suggests that the increase in tensile loading with hip flexion is uniformally distributed along the nerve tract. These results highlight the importance of considering both limb position and transducer location for biomechanical and clinical assessments of peripheral nerve stiffness. These findings provide evidence about how tension is distributed along the course of sciatic and tibial nerves.

Chalarosthrix gen. nov., a new taxon of the Sphingothrix-Triathrix clade (Harpacticoida: Cletodidae) from the Province of Cortez, Eastern Mexican Pacific.

Seven species of four cletodid genera previously described or reported from Mexico (Cletodes, Enhydrosoma, Geehydrosoma, and Stylicletodes) and an undescribed genus presumably related to Sphingothrix and Triathrix, were found in sediment samples from a coastal system in north-western Mexico. The Bayesian analysis of 95 morphological characters of thirty-four cletodid genera revealed that the new genus, Chalarosthrix gen. nov., is closely related to Sphingothrix. The clade Sphingothrix-Chalarosthrix bears a sister group relationship with Triathrix. These three genera constitute a monophyletic group defined by the presence of a posterior chitinous extension of the cephalothorax with four sensillum-bearing socles, and the presence of a median tube-pore on the anal operculum. Other synapomorphies for Sphingothrix and Triathrix proposed by earlier researchers are re-evaluated upon the latest definition of the Cletodidae. Our analysis supports previous studies in that Sphingothrix can be objectively defined by i) the reduction of the distal outer seta of the last exopodal segment of the first swimming leg being at most as long as the subdistal outer spine, and ii) the distal inner seta of the same segment inclined outwards intersecting the distal outer element at its base. On the other hand, no (aut)apomorphies were detected for Triathrix. The new genus, Chalarosthrix gen. nov., is defined here by the apomorphic secondary loss of the inner element of the second endopodal segment of the first swimming leg. Some comments on the relationships of the new genus are given.

Scanning electron microscopic observation of the external morphology of Dermatophagoides farinae at different developmental stages

To investigate the morphological characteristics of Dermatophagoides farinae at different developmental stages. The cultured D. farinae was isolated, and the external morphological features of mites at various developmental stages were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including egg, larva, nymph and adult stages. The D. farinae egg appeared a long oval shape, and the larval mites had three pairs of legs. The nymph had four pairs of legs and underdeveloped genital pores containing genital setae and anal setae, and adult mites appeared long and oval in shape, with decorative patterns on epidermis, and had four pairs of legs. In male adult mites, remarkable thickening of the leg I and thicker and longer leg III than the leg IV were seen, and ventral genital regions were found between the basal segments of legs III and IV; the anus was surrounded by a circular peri-anal ring, with a pair of anal suckers and anal setae within the ring. In the female adult mites, slender legs III and IV with an equal length were seen, and a "λ-shape" genital hole was observed on the ventral surface, with a crescent-like genital plate in the anterior part, and the anus appeared a longitudinal slit. An SEM observation of the external morphology of D. farinae provides understandings of the morphological characteristics of D. farinae, which is of great significance for the classification and identification.

Slit sense organ distribution on the legs of two species of orb-weaving spider (Araneae: Araneidae)

Biotic and abiotic mechanical stimuli are ubiquitous in the environment, and are a widely used source of sensory information in arthropods. Spiders sense mechanical stimuli using hundreds of slit sense organs (small isolated slits, large isolated slits, groups of slits and lyriform organs) distributed across their bodies and appendages. These slit sense organs are embedded in the exoskeleton and detect cuticular strain. Therefore, the spatial pattern of these sensors can give clues into how mechanical stimuli from different sources might be processed and filtered as they are transmitted through the body. Here, we map the distribution of slit sense organs on the legs in two species of orb-weaving spider, A. diadematus and T. edulis, in which slit sense organ distribution has not previously been investigated. We image the spiders’ legs using scanning electron microscopy, and trace the position and orientation of slits on these images to describe the distribution and external morphology of the slit sense organs. We show that both species have a similar distribution of slit sense organs, with small isolated slits occurring in consistent lines parallel to the long axis of the legs, whilst large isolated slits, groups of slits and lyriform organs appear in fixed positions near the leg joints. Our findings support what has been described in the literature for several other species of spider, which indicates that slit organ arrangement is conserved across spiders in different evolutionary lineages and with disparate hunting strategies. The dispersed distribution of small isolated slits along the whole length of the leg may be used to detect large-scale strain of the leg segment as a result of muscle activity or internal changes in haemolymph pressure.

Predictive value of different body segments to estimate height in a South African adult hospital population.

Height measurement is a vital component for assessing nutritional risk, and calculating dietary requirements in a clinical setting where indirect calorimetry is not available. In many patients, height cannot be measured accurately, and equations based on body segments are relied on to predict height. This study aimed to evaluate if specific body segments are better associated with height than others in a South African public hospital setting. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in three public hospitals in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on patients, 20-50 years of age, and able to stand upright without assistance to be measured by stadiometer. Spearman correlations were assessed between stadiometer height and arm-span, demi-span, ulna length, knee height, tibia length, fibula length and foot length (measured by standardised techniques). Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the segment that is most closely associated with stadiometer height in the study population. The sample included 141 participants (61.7% male, median age 38.8 years; IQR: 10.1 years). All measured body segment were statistically significantly correlated with stadiometer height, the strongest association being with knee height in both males (R2:0.77) and females (R2:0.86). Foot length and ulna length had the weakest correlation with stadiometer height in males and females, respectively. Multiple regression analysis identified knee height as having the best predictive value in determining stadiometer height. Overall, measurements of lower leg segments, particularly knee height, predicted measured height better than upper body segments. When choosing height-prediction equations in clinical settings in populations with a high prevalence of stunting, such as South Africa, the fact that stunting affects the growth of long bones in the lower body more than in the upper body, should be considered.

Reliability of Measuring Leg Segments and Joint Angles Using Smartphones during Aquatic Exercise.

ObjectivesAquatic therapy is a significant intervention method for both patients and healthy individuals. However, in clinical practice, quantitative measurements are rarely applied in aquatic therapy due to the disadvantages of submerging expensive instruments in water. In this study, we used readily available smartphones and armbands to measure leg segments and joint angles during aquatic gait and evaluated the reliability of these measurements.MethodsWaterproof smartphones were strapped to the trunk, thighs, and shanks of 19 healthy young adults using armbands. The angles of the trunk, thigh, and shank segments were measured during aquatic gait. The measurements were repeated 1 day later. The data were analyzed to obtain the angles of the hip and knee joints.ResultsMeasurement repeatability, calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), was the highest for the shank segment range of motion (ROM) (first 46.79° ± 5.50°, second 50.12° ± 9.98°, ICC = 0.78). There was high agreement in trunk segment ROM (first 6.36° ± 1.42°, second 4.29° ± 1.83°, ICC = 0.73), thigh segment ROM (first 33.49° ± 5.18°, second 37.31° ± 8.70°, ICC = 0.62), and knee joint ROM (first 52.43° ± 11.26°, second 62.19° ± 16.65°, ICC = 0.68) and fair agreement in hip joint ROM (first 34.60°±4.71°, second 37.80° ± 7.84°, ICC = 0.59).ConclusionsSmartphones can be used to reliably measure leg segments and joint angles during aquatic gait, providing a simpler method for obtaining these measurements and enabling the wider use of aquatic motion analysis in clinical practice and research.

Особливості змін у неврологічному статусі в пацієнтів із спадковими полінейропатіями на етапі оперативного лікування

Актуальність. Спадкові полінейропатії належать до системних дегенеративних захворювань нервової і м’язової систем генної природи, що досить часто призводять до порушення опорно-рухового апарату. Метою нашого дослідження було оцінити неврологічний стан осіб із спадковими полінейропатіями на етапі передопераційної підготовки. Матеріали та методи. Обстежено 87 пацієнтів декретованої групи віком від 12 до 57 років. Контрольну групу становили 10 пацієнтів із травматичним ушкодженням м’яких тканин та периферичних нервів на нижній кінцівці і 10 пацієнтів із поздовжньою плоскостопістю ступнів молодого, середнього та похилого віку. Усі пацієнти підлягали детальному ортопедичному та неврологічному обстеженню. Результати. У всіх пацієнтів із спадковими полінейропатіями виявлено рівномірне, з обох сторін, зниження сухожилкових і періостальних рефлексів на нижніх кінцівках, що корелювало з тривалістю перебігу захворювання та характером генетичних мальформацій. Реєструвалось зниження больового відчуття за дистальним типом: при легкій формі ураження — на рівні пальців стоп, при середній такі порушення поши-рювалися до рівня гомілкових суглобів, а при тяжких формах сягали середньої третини гомілки або рівня колінних суглобів. При легкій формі спадкової полінейропатії знижувалась вібраційна чутливість у ступнях до 12–14 с (у пацієнтів контрольної групи вона була в межах 15–16 с і більше), при середньому ступені процесу — до 7–11 с, при тяжких формах — до 0–4 с. Рухливі порушення при полінейропатичній ступні зводились до симетричного зниження сили м’язів у дистальних відділах кінцівок, а у12 пацієнтів із тяжкою формою Шарко — Марі — Тутса спостерігався парез стоп, у 2 хворих були прояви проксимальної аміотрофії м’язів ніг. У переважної більшості пацієнтів відмічались значні вегетативно-трофічні порушення сегментарного рівня, переважно в дистальних відділах ніг. Зокрема, зміни стосувались самої шкіри. У дистальних відді-лах ніг у 48 пацієнтів вона була сухою, злущеною, з численними тріщинами, гіперкератозом, потертостями, мозолями (особливо в ділянці підошв). Діагностувались набряки по тильній поверхні ступнів та в нижній третині гомілок. Судинний рисунок був змінений у 36 пацієнтів за парасимпатикотонічним типом і в 19 — за симпатикотонічним. Нігті були атрофічними, із зміною їх забарвлення. Трофічні зміни спостерігались також і в глибше розташованих м’яких тканинах. Висновки. Спадкові полінейропатії супроводжуються тяжкими ортопедичними порушеннями, переважно в скелетних структурах стоп. Патогномонічними ознаками для вибору тактики хірургічного лікування осіб із спадковими полінейропатіями є характер вегетативно-трофічних порушень та ступінь змін складних видів чутливості на ногах, зокрема вібраційної чутливості.

The genus Cletocamptus (Harpacticoida, Canthocamptidae): a reappraisal, with proposal of a new subfamily, a new genus, and a new species.

A new species of Cletocamptus closely related to C.helobius was found in sediment samples taken from a polluted estuarine system in north-western Mexico. The genus Cletocamptus was relegated to species incertae sedis in 1986, and this finding prompted us to evaluate the current taxonomic position of the genus within the Canthocamptidae. The latter has been subdivided in several, seemingly unnatural subfamilies in the past to better understand the relationships between its constituent taxa. In this study we propose a new subfamily, the Cletocamptinaesubfam. nov. for Amphibiperita, Cletocamptus, and Cletocamptoides gen. nov., defined by the synapomorphic subdistal ventral spinules on the rostrum. The genus Cletocamptoidesgen. nov. is proposed for C.helobius, C.merbokensis, and C.biushelosp. nov., and is supported by the ‘cletodid’ shape of the body and the reduced one-segmented endopod of the fourth swimming leg. Cletocamptus includes all the other species with long slender spinules on the posterior margin of prosomites and with the sexually modified inner spine on the second endopodal segment of the second swimming leg in the males. Amphibiperita retained the primitive female fifth leg with exopod and baseoendopod separated, and the primitive prehensile endopod of the first leg, but is defined by the loss of the antennary exopod. Other (syn)apomorphies are given, and the evolution of the mandibular palp is briefly discussed. Additionally, a diagnosis for the new subfamily, Cletocamptinaesubfam. nov., an amended narrower diagnosis for Cletocamptus, the diagnosis for Cletocamptoidesgen. nov., and a phylogenetic analysis supporting the proposal of these new taxa, are given.

An application of Chasles' theorem to describe the rotation axis of golf swing

The purpose of this study was to propose a method for describing the rotational motion of the entire golf swing by two lines about which the trunk and the lower limbs rotate respectively, and to visualize individual differences in the rotation axes. Three-dimensional whole-body motion data of three male golfers were collected using an IMU motion capture system and a helical axis was computed for each body segment at each interval of frames. The weighted average of the helical axes of the head, upper trunk, and lower trunk segments was computed for each interval to represent the rotation axis of the trunk. Similarly, the weighted average was calculated for femur, leg, and foot segments to represent the rotation axis of the lower limbs. The mean values and standard deviations of the position and orientation of each rotation axis were computed over each of the two swing phases (backswing phase & downswing phase) and animated as cones in computer graphics. Comparisons of the rotation axes among the three golfers revealed that the position and the direction of the axes are unique to each player.