Portion Of Muscle Research Articles

Achilles Tendon Length Is Not Related to 100-m Sprint Time in Sprinters.

This study examined the relationship between Achilles tendon (AT) length and 100-m sprint time in sprinters. The AT lengths at 3 different portions of the triceps surae muscle in 48 well-trained sprinters were measured using magnetic resonance imaging. The 3 AT lengths were calculated as the distance from the calcaneal tuberosity to the muscle-tendon junction of the soleus, gastrocnemius medialis, and gastrocnemius lateralis, respectively. The absolute 3 AT lengths did not correlate significantly with personal best 100-m sprint time (r = -.023 to .064, all Ps > .05). Furthermore, to minimize the differences in the leg length among participants, the 3 AT lengths were normalized to the shank length, and the relative 3 AT lengths did not correlate significantly with personal best 100-m sprint time (r = .023 to .102, all Ps > .05). Additionally, no significant correlations were observed between the absolute and relative (normalized to body mass) cross-sectional areas of the AT and personal best 100-m sprint time (r = .012 and .084, respectively, both Ps > .05). These findings suggest that the AT morphological variables, including the length, may not be related to superior 100-m sprint time in sprinters.

Ractopamine-induced fiber type-specific gene expression in porcine skeletal muscles is independent of growth.

Feeding ractopamine (RAC), a β-adrenergic agonist (BAA), to pigs increases type IIB muscle fiber type-specific protein and mRNA expression. However, increases in the abundance of these fast-twitch fiber types occur with other forms of muscle hypertrophy and thus BAA-induced changes in myosin heavy chain (MyHC) composition may simply be associated with increased muscle growth known to occur in response to BAA feeding. The objective of this study was to determine whether RAC feeding could change the MyHC gene expression in the absence of maximal muscle growth. Pigs were fed either an adequate diet that supported maximal muscle hypertrophy or a low nutrient diet that limited muscle growth. RAC was included in diets at 0 or 20 mg/kg for 1, 2, or 4 wk. Backfat depth was less (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the low nutrient diet compared with the adequate diet but was not affected by RAC. Loin eye area was greater (P < 0.05) in pigs fed an adequate diet plus RAC at 1 wk but did not differ among remaining pigs. At 2 and 4 wk, however, pigs fed the adequate diet had greater loin eye areas (P < 0.05) than pigs fed the low nutrient diet regardless of RAC feeding. Gene expression of the MyHC isoforms, I, IIA, IIX, and IIB, as well as glycogen synthase, citrate synthase, β 1-adrenergic receptor (AR), and β 2-AR were determined in longissimus dorsi (LD) and red (RST) and white (WST) portions of the semitendinosus muscles. MyHC type I gene expression was not altered by RAC or diet. Feeding RAC decreased (P < 0.01) MyHC type IIA gene expression in all muscles, but to a greater extent in WST and LD. MyHC type IIX gene expression was lower (P < 0.05) in WST and LD muscles in response to RAC but was not altered in RST muscles. RAC increased (P < 0.05) MyHC type IIB gene expression in all muscles, but to a greater extent in RST. β 1-AR gene expression was unaffected by RAC or diet, whereas the expression of the β 2-AR gene was decreased (P < 0.001) by RAC. No significant RAC * diet interactions were observed in gene expression in this study, indicating that RAC altered MyHC and β 2-AR gene expression in porcine skeletal muscles independent of growth.

Factors Influencing Symptomatic and Nonsymptomatic Bulge Rates in the Abdominal Donor Site of Autologous Breast Reconstruction

INTRODUCTION: With continued demand for abdominal based breast reconstruction, it is important to understand all the factors influencing donor site morbidity. Previous studies mostly focus on type of flap and its associated donor site complications. However, we aim to assess other factors, including history of prior abdominal surgery, body mass index (BMI), and specific operative details such as the total area of muscle harvested, portion of the rectus muscle harvested, status of the anterior fascia after abdominal closure, use of mesh, and the status of abdominal wall nerves. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing autologous breast reconstruction from May 2012 to October of 2017 by 2 surgeons at a single institution was performed. Only patients with abdominal-based breast reconstruction were included in the study. Demographics, prior medical and surgical history, intraoperative data, and postoperative course were collected. Primary outcomes of interest were nonsymptomatic bulge found on physical exam and symptomatic bulge requiring surgical correction. RESULTS: One-hundred twenty women were identified with 39 undergoing unilateral and 81 undergoing bilateral breast reconstruction. Within the unilateral patient group, 30 patients underwent ms-Transversal Rectus Abdominis Muscle (TRAM) and 9 patients underwent deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) reconstruction. The breakdown in the bilateral group is as follows: 39 bilateral ms-TRAM, 5 bilateral DIEP, 37 a combination of ms-TRAM and DIEP. The average follow-up was 2.01 years (range, 0.04–7.52 years). Thirteen (10.8%) patients developed nonsymptomatic bulge and 14 (11.7%) patients developed symptomatic bulge requiring surgical correction. Patient with BMI ≥ 30 were 3 times more likely to develop a symptomatic bulge (P = 0.029). Similarly, patients with prior abdominal surgery were 7.2 times more likely to develop a symptomatic bulge (P = 0.047). Patients with bilateral ms-TRAM reconstruction had higher rate of nonsymptomatic and symptomatic bulge compared with any other reconstruction type (P = 0.050). Size of muscle harvested did not have an effect on bulge development (P = 0.674). Higher percentage of patients with muscle harvested from the central portion of the rectus muscle developed non-symptomatic bulge (P = 0.008). In contrast, patients with muscle harvested from the medial or lateral portion of the rectus muscle had a 15% increased risk of developing symptomatic bulge (P = 0.023 and P = 0.021, respectively). The use of mesh, type of mesh, and location of mesh placement during abdominal wall reconstruction did not affect bulge development (P = 0.236, P = 0.285, P = 0.195, respectively). Whether the anterior rectus fascia was closed or left open at the end of the case did not influence the bulge rate (P = 0.122). Similarly, number of nerves severed did not influence the bulge rate (P = 0.575). CONCLUSION: High BMI and previous abdominal surgery significantly increase the risk of symptomatic bulge development. Location of muscle harvest from the rectus muscle influenced the rates of nonsymptomatic and symptomatic bulge development, with muscle from the central portion of the rectus muscle resulting in significantly higher rate of nonsymptomatic bulge, and muscle from medial or lateral portion of the rectus muscle resulting in higher rate of symptomatic bulge. Total muscle area harvested, use of mesh in abdominal reconstruction, or nerve preservation did not affect the rate of bulge development.

Dual Purpose of De-Epithelialized Latissimus Dorsi Musculocutaneous Flap for Treatment of Chronic Frontal Sinusitis and Frontal Bone Defect.

Treating frontal sinusitis refractory to endoscopic sinus surgery and complicating frontal bone defect remains a challenge. One surgical option determined is free flap transfer, which has the versatility to accommodate adequate sinus obliteration and reconstruct skin and bone defects. After successful free flap transfer, forehead recessus deformity can emerge as an esthetic problem for patients waiting for cranioplasty. Hence, the authors examine three cases in which they performed free latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous (LDM) flaps for chronic frontal sinusitis with frontal bone defect. All LDM flaps survived without complications, and all patients achieved passable forehead contours without cranioplasty and with no occurrence of infection. In our procedure, the muscle portion of the LDM flap was used to obliterate the frontal sinus, which is similar to conventional free LDM flap. Conversely, our procedure also uses the de-epithelialized skin paddle of the LDM flap filled with the frontal bone defect, which is distinct from conventional free LDM flap. Thus, preventing postoperative forehead recessus deformity has been the identified as primary advantage of our procedure. The use of the free de-epithelialized LDM flap transfer fulfills two goals: controlling chronic frontal sinusitis and restoring a passable forehead contour.

Inferior rectus pulled-in-two syndrome: Surgical results after anterior and nasal transposition of the inferior oblique muscle.

Pulled-in-two syndrome (PITS) is a serious intraoperative complication of strabismus surgery in which an extraocular muscle manipulated during the procedure is ruptured and potentially lost. Usually, there is a systemic or local condition that determines muscle weakness when put under tension. If the proximal portion of the broken muscle can be found, it can be reattached to the ocular globe or remaining muscle. If this is not possible, there are multiple varying approaches. We present three cases of PITS of the inferior rectus muscle, treated with good results with anterior and nasal transposition of the inferior oblique muscle. We propose this surgery as another potential technique if the muscle can not be retrieved.

Sire Variation in the Severity of the Ham Halo Condition

A study was conducted to examine genetic variation in the ham halo condition. The distal portion of the biceps femoris was sampled by taking cores (2.54-cm diameter) from progeny (n = 1,016) from a Duroc meat quality–focused line. Commission Internationale de l ́Éclairage (CIE; “International Commission on Illumination”) color-space values (L*, a*, and b*) and myoglobin concentration were measured on the halo (“Halo”) and inside (“Inside”) portion of each core. The Halo portion of the biceps femoris had greater L* and b* and lesser a* and myoglobin content (all P &amp;lt; 0.001) than the Inside portion. Sires with 11 or more progeny were compared. The sire × muscle-location interaction affected (P &amp;lt; 0.001), L*, a*, and myoglobin concentration. Sire progeny groups differed for each trait in both portions of the muscle, but differences in the Halo portion of the muscle were not mirrored in the Inside portion of the muscle. Similarly, sire group affected the magnitude of the difference in L* (P = 1.4 × 10−4) and a* (P = 9.0 × 10−6) between the Halo and Inside portions of the muscle and tended (P = 0.08) to affect myoglobin content. However, the largest sire-group differences were not necessarily seen in the sires with the highest means for these attributes. Thus, selecting for myoglobin concentration, L*, or a* content in the Halo portion of the biceps femoris muscle would be an effective strategy for reducing the severity of the ham halo condition.

Anatomical study of the soleus: Application to improved imaging diagnoses.

Strains of the soleus are widely found both in amateur and professional athletes. For their accurate regional diagnoses, understanding the anatomy of the spatial relationship between muscular fibers and tendinous structures is important because their interfaces are susceptible sites to muscle strains. Therefore, this study evaluated the precise architecture of the soleus. We evaluated the precise anatomical architecture of the soleus in 87 formaldehyde-fixed soleus muscles. To calculate mean relative physiological cross-sectional area of each muscular fiber compartment, we measured the fiber length, volume, and pennation angle in isolated compartments. The posterior soleus surface was covered by a broad aponeurotic posterior insertion tendon (PIT), which continued inferiorly to the insertion tendon. The anterior surface had three aponeurotic origin tendons, lateral origin tendon (LOT), medial origin tendon (MOT), and tendinous arch, which were arranged along the soleus margins. The anterior bipennate muscle portion (ABP), surrounded by the three origin structures, terminated as the sagittal insertion tendon (SIT), which continued inferiorly to PIT. The posterior main muscle portion behind LOT and MOT was separated into lateral and medial portions by the SIT. The soleus thus possessed a broad musculotendinous junction. Furthermore, ABP exhibited wide structural diversity in shape and size: in extreme cases, it was duplicated or absent. Systematic anatomical descriptions of the soleus will be useful for accurate regional diagnosis of its strains with magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography.

A Previously Unreported Accessory Muscle on the Surface of the Trapezius Muscle: A Case Report

The trapezius muscle is one of the large muscles of the back and is innervated mainly by the accessory nerve. This muscle is generally divided into three parts composed of ascending, middle and descending fibres. During a study of the course of the accessory nerve, a series of back dissections were initiated by incision of the skin along the dorsal midline between the occipital protuberance and the first lumbar vertebrae. We report a previously unidentified accessory muscle of the back. During dissection of the back of a male cadaver, the skin, underlying fat and fascia were reflected laterally and revealed an accessory muscle superficial to the inferior segment of the left trapezius muscle. The accessory fibres originated from the spinous process of thoracic vertebra 12 and projected superiorly with supero-laterally oriented fibres. It terminated at the level of thoracic vertebra T5. Upon examination of the inferior surface of the accessory muscle, a nerve originating from the thoracic spinal nerve 11 was identified travelling along the medial border of the muscle. All dissections were performed in accordance with the laws regulating anatomic dissection in Ireland. Several surgical procedures are carried out at the inferior portion of the trapezius muscle; therefore, variation of this region is of clinical importance, and the presence of accessory muscles may have an influence on outcomes.

Current Status of Poultry Meat Abnormalities

Over the past decade, the poultry industry has faced an increasing occurrence of growth-related muscular abnormalities that mainly affect fast-growing genotypes selected for their production performances (high growth rate and breast yield). These abnormalities, termed white striping (WS), wooden breast (WB) and spaghetti meat (SM), primarily affect the superficial portion of pectoralis major muscles. Despite their distinctive phenotypes, WS, WB, and SM conditions entail common histological features, i.e., they might share common causative mechanisms underpinning their occurrence. Meat affected by growth-related abnormalities is harmless for human nutrition since no specific biological or chemical hazards have been found to be related to its consumption. However, WS, WB, and SM abnormalities negatively affect both quality traits and technological properties of raw and processed meat, causing relevant economic damages in the poultry industry. This paper aims to provide an update about the current status of poultry meat abnormalities, giving useful insights about their impact on meat quality, the possible causative mechanisms, methods for mitigation, and future perspectives.

The results of using free osteomyofascial flaps in the simultaneous reconstruction of combined post-resection facial defects with an intraoral component

The study objectiveis to analyze the results of the use of free osteomyofascial flaps in the reconstruction of combined post-resection facial defects with an intraoral component.Materials and methods.Fifty-three patients were operated by the proposed method. The muscle portions which were used with free flaps were: m. flexor hallucis longus with the free fibula flap (n = 27), m. vastus lateralis with anterolateral thigh flap (n = 11), m. subscapularis with the scapula free flap (n = 15). An analysis of postoperative complications was performed, as well as an analysis of the timing of dental implantation.Results.The average hospital stay was 15 days. The main complications from the recipient area were: local inflammation in the reconstruction area – 2 (3.8 %) cases, hematoma on the neck – 2 (3.8 %), fistula formation – 1 (1.9 %), full flap necrosis was noted in 1 (3.7 %) case, hypertrophic growths of granulation tissue on the muscle portions of the flaps in 3 (5.7 %). The main complications from the donor zone: hematomas – 0 cases. In 2 (13.3 %) patients after using a chimeric scapular flap, lymphorrea up to 50–70 ml was noted. Dental implantation was performed in 4 (9.5 %) cases. There were no complications or difficulties in performing dental implantation. The average time taken to form the soft tissue contour in the area of implants after installing the gingiva formers in our study was 2.5 weeks, which is 2 weeks faster than using flaps that include a skin paddle.Conclusion.This reconstruction method could be used as a main for the plastic elimination of combined facial defects with an intraoral component.

Effects of Vocal Training on Thyroarytenoid Muscle Neuromuscular Junctions and Myofibers in Young and Older Rats.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of vocal training on neuromuscular junction (NMJ) morphology and muscle fiber size and composition in the thyroarytenoid muscle, the primary muscle in the vocal fold, in younger (9-month) and older (24-month) Fischer 344 × Brown Norway male rats. Over 4 or 8 weeks of vocal training, rats of both ages progressively increased their daily number of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) through operant conditioning and were then compared to an untrained control group. Neuromuscular junction morphology and myofiber size and composition were measured from the thyroarytenoid muscle. Acoustic analysis of USVs before and after training quantified the functional effect of training. Both 4- and 8-week training resulted in less NMJ motor endplate dispersion in the lateral portion of the thyroarytenoid muscle in rats of both ages. Vocal training and age had no significant effects on laryngeal myofiber size or type. Vocal training resulted in a greater number of USVs with longer duration and increased intensity. This study demonstrated that vocal training induces laryngeal NMJ morphology and acoustic changes. The lack of significant effects of vocal training on muscle fiber type and size suggests vocal training significantly improves neuromuscular efficiency but does not significantly influence muscle strength changes.

Managing lip large papilloma extirpation defect by arterialized advancement vermilion flap

The close resemblance of squamous papilloma with verrucous carcinoma and the chief etiological factor associated with its development, the human papillomavirus (HPV) raises a doubt about its close association with malignancy. The best way to treat HPV growths is surgical removal and assessment of lesion by histopathology. The defect needs reconstruction with full function and aesthetic outlook. Thirty-seven years old young man with history of tobacco chewing developed slow growing papilloma in upper lip in one year. It was excised fully and the defect was repaired by arterialized lip vermilion mucosal flap based on slightly tortuous labial vessel and so the flap could be elastically stretched even up to fifty percent of lip length and applied successfully. Same patient developed papilloma in lower lip as a separate primary after two years of nonrecurrence of previous operated upper lip papilloma. Lower lip lesion was excised similarly and repaired with same type of vermilion mucosal advancement flap from adjacent part of lower lip defect created. The post-operative period was uneventful and after three years of last operation there is no recurrence in either lip. Vermilion flap which is based on labial artery containing composite tissue comprising of mucosa and portion of orbicularis muscle mainly has been utilized to reconstruct the post excision papilloma lip defect with excellent functional and aesthetic results. There was no microstomia. It is single stage not involving donor site like tongue or cheek mucosa and is good upto half of lower lip defects.

Relationship between Muscle Cross-Sectional Area by MRI and Muscle Thickness by Ultrasonography of the Triceps Surae in the Sitting Position.

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in the muscle cross-sectional area (MCSA) of the triceps surae in the supine and sitting positions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the relationship between the MCSA of the triceps surae in the sitting position and muscle thickness (MT), assessed using MRI and ultrasonography, respectively. This study included 16 healthy young male participants. The measurement positions were 90° flexion of the knee joint and neutral position of the ankle joint in the sitting or supine positions. Using an open-configuration MRI system with a vertical gap and ultrasonography, we measured the MCSA and MT of the soleus muscle and the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius muscle at three selected locations in the ventral part of the muscle. As a result, the 50% portion of the soleus muscle and the 25% and 50% portions of the gastrocnemius medial and lateral heads were higher in the sitting position than in the supine position. Furthermore, only 50% of the gastrocnemius medial head showed a correlation between the MCSA and MT. When using the MT of the triceps surae as an indicator of muscle volume in the sitting position, the muscle site should be considered.

Ultrasound analyses of hamstrings muscle morphology changes whit sport

Abstract Introduction Physical activities and sports can change muscle morphology. Changes caused by regular physical exercise can be assessed by ultrasound parameters such as the pennation angle, cross-sectional area, echo-intensity and muscle thickness. Objectives This study aims to characterise and evaluate the morphological changes of the hamstring muscles through ultrasound parameters such as the pennation angle, fascicle length, cross-sectional area, echo-intensity and muscle thickness, and verify the existence of morphological changes between the dominant and non-dominant limb. Methodology Twenty-two young female divided in two groups (control group=11; athletes group=11) were submitted to an ultrasound examination at 50% of the posterior region of the thigh, for the semimembranosus and long portion of the femoral biceps muscles in the longitudinal and in a panoramic view. Results 22 athletes with a mean age of 22.25 years were evaluated. There were significant differences between the two groups in muscle morphology. The athletes group showed a higher value for muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, pennation angle and fascicle length and a lower value for muscle echo-intensity. This group also showed higher values for these parameters when dominant limb is compared with non-dominant. Conclusion Physical exercise causes changes in muscle morphology and ultrasound is a good method for the musculoskeletal assessment of athlete’s performance, since it is an imaging modality that allows to carry out comparative bilateral studies for athletes performance follow up and for preventive strategies against the sedentarism.

A serious complication after forearm replantation caused by a cord tightened on the stump during transportation – a case report

Abstract In amputations of an upper extremity, an adequate preservation of the amputated part during its transport to a replantation centre is very important: it needs to be maintained at about 4°C. Providing adequate haemostasis of the extremity stump is also important for the patient’s safety, to avoid bleeding on the journey. The article presents the case of a patient who had sustained a hand amputation at the forearm, in which bleeding from the stump was stopped with a cord that has been tightened on the forearm, 10 cm above the amputation site. Transport for the patient took over 6 h and resulted in a critical ischaemia of the forearm stump. Replantation was successfully performed, but an excessive oedema of the ischaemically injured part of the stump developed in the post-operative course, requiring a fasciotomy, resection of the necrotic muscles, following by coverage of the defects with skin grafts. No complications were observed in the replanted part of the forearm, and the prognosis towards recovery of good hand function is moderate, due to the loss of a portion of the forearm muscles.

Research Note: Texture characteristics of wooden breast fillets deboned at different postmortem times

The study aimed to understand whether deboning time contributes to the altered texture attributes of wooden breast (WB) fillets. To this purpose, 30 unaffected (NORM) and 30 severely affected (WB) carcasses were selected at 15 min postmortem (PM) and allotted into treatments with different deboning times: A (5 NORM + 5 WB; right fillets deboned at 15 min PM), B (5 NORM + 5 WB; right fillets deboned at 3 h PM), and C (5 NORM + 5 WB; right fillets deboned at 6 h PM). Left fillets from each carcass were deboned at 24 h PM. Multiple instrumental texture analyses were performed on the cranial-middle portion of the Pectoralis major muscles. Irrespective of deboning time, all fillets were subjected to a single 30% compression in the raw state at 24 h PM. All fillets were cooked at 24 h PM and subjected to shear force assessments at 48 h PM using blunt Meullenet-Owens razor shear, Meullenet-Owens razor shear, and Warner-Bratzler shear force. Using an ANOVA mixed model, deboning time was evaluated as a fixed effect within muscle condition (sampling session and carcass ID as random effects). Compression force assessment of raw meat at 24 h PM showed that WB fillets exhibited the greatest hardness when they were deboned at 6 h PM (15 min = 35.4 N; 3 h = 30.9 N; 6 h = 48.0 N; 24 h = 30.6 N; P < 0.05). Differently, deboning time had no effect (P > 0.05) on raw compression force values in NORM fillets. In cooked NORM fillets, shear force values were the greatest in fillets deboned at 15 min, and shear force gradually declined with deboning time through 24 h PM. On the contrary, no changes (P > 0.05) in shear values due to different deboning times were observed in cooked WB meat regardless of shear method. These results suggest that early PM changes in breast muscles and their influence on meat texture are different between normal and WB fillets.

Atrophic change of the abdominal rectus muscle significantly influences the onset of parastomal hernias beyond existing risk factors after end colostomy.

To investigate optimal risk factors, including atrophy of the abdominal rectus muscle (ARM) for postoperative parastomal hernia (PH) in patients who underwent end colostomy at left lower quadrant. This single-institution retrospective study included 91 patients who underwent end colostomy between April 2004 and December 2015. The surgical and long-term outcomes among patients with or without PH were collected and compared. Altogether, 22 (24.2%) patients had a PH including 15 (68.2%) patients with a simultaneous incisional hernia. Univariate analysis showed that older patients (71 ± 11.9 vs. 64 ± 12.2years, p = 0.03) and those with higher body mass index (BMI) (23.8 ± 3.8 vs. 20.9 ± 3.3kg/m2, p < 0.001) had a statistically significant relation with having PHs. Relative atrophy of left abdominal rectus muscle was more frequently found in patients with PH (ratio of left side/right side; caudal level and medial side: 0.66 vs. 0.92, p < 0.01, caudal level and lateral side: 0.95 vs. 1.03, p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed that BMI > 25kg/m2 [odds ratio (OR) 9.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.06-39.76, p = 0.003] and atrophy of the left lower medial portion of the abdominal rectus muscle (OR 12.85, 95% CI 2.49-66.39, p = 0.002) were independent risk factors for PHs. Neither the laparoscopic approach nor the extraperitoneal route of the colostomy was proven to correlate with a lower rate of PHs. High BMI and atrophic change of ARM were significantly associated with PH development. Surgical techniques for prevention of atrophic change of ARM are expected to reduce the incidence of PHs.

Short communication: Administration of an appeasing substance to Bos indicus-influenced beef cattle improves performance after weaning and carcass pH

Stressful situations, such as weaning and transport, are known to impact beef cattle health and performance. Hence, alternatives to minimize these stress-related losses are warranted and the bovine appeasing substance (BAS) is expected to have calming effects in cattle going through stressful events. Therefore, 2 studies were designed to investigate the impacts of BAS administration at weaning (Experiment 01) and immediately prior to transport to slaughter in beef animals (Experiment 02). In Experiment 01, 120 Bos indicus-influenced calves were weaned at 7 mo of age (day 0). At weaning, calves were ranked by BW and assigned to receive BAS (Nutricorp; Araras, SP, Brazil; n = 60) or water (CON; n = 60). Treatments (5-mL) were topically applied to the nuchal skin area of each animal. Calf body weight (BW) was recorded twice on days 0, 14, and 45 of the study. Calves that received BAS were heavier than CON cohorts at the end of the experimental period (P < 0.01). Additionally, starting on day 14, calves that received BAS had a greater average daily gain (ADG) when compared to CON cohorts (P ≤ 0.01). In Experiment 02, a total of 835 Nelore-influenced animals, originated from 4 farms were used herein. Immediately prior to transport, animals were ranked by BW and assigned to receive BAS (n = 422) or water (CON; n = 413). Treatments (5 mL) were applied as previously described for Experiment 01. For all animals transported, meat pH was determined from the 12th rib 48 hours post-mortem. Animals having a meat pH > 5.80 were classified as higher-risks for having dark, firm, and dry (DFD) and was further evaluated herein. Additionally, for animals originated from farm 1 (n = 59), a portion of the Longissimus dorsi muscle was collected for colorimetric analysis. A treatment effect was detected for meat pH (P < 0.0001), so that animals receiving BAS had a reduced pH vs. CON cohorts (5.75 vs. 5.82, respectively). Additionally, the risk of DFD% was greater (P < 0.0001) for CON vs. BAS when pH > 5.80 (42.2 vs. 26.2%, respectively) was evaluated. In summary, BAS administration to animals prior to stressful events (weaning and transport to slaughter) improved performance, decreased the risk if occurrence of DFD cuts, and maintained the pH at levels below the threshold considered as critical for DFD occurrence.

Comparison of preseptal and pretarsal onabotulinum toxin an injection in patients with hemifacial spasm

Aim The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different doses of onabotulinum toxin A on the amplitude and latency values of the blink reflex and facial nerve in the pretarsal and preseptal portions of the orbicularis oculi muscle in patients with hemifacial spasm. Materials and methods Thirty patients with hemifacial spasm were assigned in two equal groups: Pretarsal Group: Five units of onabotulinum toxin A were injected into each of 2 points of the pretarsal portion; Preseptal Group: Five units of onabotulinum toxin A was injected into 4 points of the preseptal portion. We compared the electromyographic features of the patients before and 5 weeks after botulinum toxin (BTX) injection. Results In comparison of pre- and post-treatment measurements of blink reflex amplitude responses, the decreases in R1 (p = 0.003), R2 (p < 0.001), and R2C amplitudes (p = 0.031) were found to be significant in the BTX injected side in the pretarsal group. In the comparison of pre- and post-treatment measurements of facial nerve compound action potential amplitude changes, decreases in the amplitudes of the BTX injected (ipsilateral), and uninjected (contralateral) side in the pretarsal group were found to be significant (p < 0.001 for both groups). Decreases in the amplitudes of the BTX injected, and uninjected side in the preseptal group were found to be significant (p < 0.001, and p = 0.008, respectively). Conclusion According to our hypothesis, the smaller amount of BTX applied to the pretarsal portion was found to be more effective than higher amount of BTX injected into the preseptal portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle.

Poland syndrome: Chest wall and breast repair

Introduction: Poland syndrome is a rare congenital disorder. Its main characteristics are deficiency of the sternocostal portion of the pectoralis major muscle and symbrachydactyly. However, it encompasses a wide spectrum of other chest, breast and upper extremity anomalies. Patients and Methods: The author’s personal experience with a small series of patients with Poland syndrome is retrospectively reviewed. Only chest and breast anomalies were surgically corrected. A bilateral augmentation mammoplasty using different size implants was performed in order to restore chest and breast asymmetry in female patients. The latissimus dorsi muscle was transferred in order to replace the absent pectoralis major in male patients. Results: Eleven adult patients were found. There were 8 female and 3 male patients (age 21-29, mean 23,5y). Two patients refused any kind of treatment. Nine patients (six females, three males) underwent surgical correction (right side n=8, left side n=1). The follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 14 years. There were no major complications. There was a minor complication (seroma) in a male patient after latissimus dorsi transfer, which resolved spontaneously. No capsular contracture has been detected to date and no revision or implant change has been necessary in any of the female patients. All patients were satisfied with the final outcome. Conclusions: The pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle is still the “golden standard” for replacement of the totally absent pectoralis major muscle especially in males. Breast implants are highly successful in correcting chest/ breast asymmetry (size and shape anomalies) in females. Remaining nipple/areola deformities can be easily tackled at a later stage.