A Study of Bilateral Asymmetry of Upper Extremities and its Effects on Stature Reconstruction amongst Nigerians

The relevance of stature prediction from body segments to a forensic scientist cannot be overemphasized. But the presence of bilateral asymmetry between these limbs still poses a lot of challenges in ascertaining accurate values from estimates. A regression equation derived from the right side and applied to the left side may cause more harm than good in medico-legal investigations. The aim of this study is to predict stature from limb lengths and to investigate the effect of bilateral asymmetry on stature reconstruction. A total of 230 healthy Nigerians (100 males and 130 females) aged between 18 to 36 years were recruited for the measurement. Stature, left and right limb lengths were measured in centimeters in tandem with the standard anthropometric procedure. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20 Chicago Inc. Results of this study showed sexual dimorphism and bilateral asymmetry between left and right limb lengths in both sexes at a significance level of p < 0.01. The present outcome may be found useful by Forensic anthropologist and anatomist in narrowing down human individuality using the regression models. Therefore, there is need for right appropriation of an equation to the correct side of the body otherwise it may lead to erroneous results

Exploring skeletal asymmetry and indicators of developmental stress in a South African sample

Dissertation (MSc (Anatomy))--University of Pretoria, 2022.Biological anthropologists have shown great interest in understanding health and disease and its correlation to skeletal asymmetry. Fluctuating asymmetry, which is defined as the random deviation from perfect symmetry resulting in inequality in size or shape of bilateral traits, is often used to understand this correlation. Literature has shown that fluctuating asymmetry results from developmental instabilities and could be indicative of developmental stressors and an individual’s quality of life. Skeletal asymmetry and its correlation to different developmental stressors provide invaluable information regarding the interpretation of skeletal variation often observed among individuals. The understanding of human skeletal variation has many applications, ranging from forensic skeletal identification to facial surgery. While traditional methods for studying facial and dental asymmetry have been used in the past, the methods can be methodologically challenging, and not always practical in clinical settings. As such, virtual biological anthropology has become an increasingly popular alternative. Among the imaging modalities, micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (micro-XCT) is often considered as the gold standard, because of its non-invasive and non-destructive properties, as well as its remarkably high resolution and its consistency compared to other micro-XCT systems. Micro-XCT imaging has thus proven to be extremely useful for better evaluation of facial structures, with detailed images that can assist in identifying and quantifying facial asymmetry, especially when employed in conjunction with geometric morphometrics. Therefore, this study aimed to assess facial asymmetry in a South African population using micro-XCT and further explore the link between asymmetry and developmental stress. One hundred and fifteen individuals (59 black South Africans and 56 white South Africans, with 57 females and 58 males) and their associated micro-XCT scans, sourced from the Pretoria Bone Collection (University of Pretoria) were analysed to evaluate facial asymmetry. Anatomical landmarks were employed to take a series of cranial measurements and collect 3D coordinate data for geometric morphometric analysis. The measurements and extraction of 3D coordinate data were performed on 3D models virtually extracted from micro-XCT scans of crania of the same individual. Once collected, fluctuating asymmetry indices were calculated. The entire skeleton of the individuals was assessed for pathological lesions linked to nutritional disease and to assess the overall link to developmental stress of the individuals. The location and number of lesions was recorded for each individual. Statistical analyses were employed to assess intra- and inter-observer reliability for landmarks, measurements, and pathology analysis; to examine any significant differences between the left and right distances and shapes for measurements and geometric morphometric analysis, respectively; and finally, to evaluate the correlation between the presence of pathological lesions and the degree of asymmetry expressed in an individual. This study showed that the orbits, nasion and temporal regions expressed a high magnitude of asymmetry, particularly in black South African females. However, no link was found between asymmetry and signs of developmental stress. Thus, more research can be done to understand how, and when developmental stressors may influence skeletal asymmetry.AnatomyMSc (Anatomy)Unrestricte

Determination of the correlations between the morphological characteristics and metapodial radiometric measurements of awassi sheep

Aim: The study aims to determine the correlations between external structural characteristics and osteometric data of Awassi sheep. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 heads Awassi sheep (18-20 months of age), 100 females and 50 males were used in the study. After determining the sex and measuring the body weight, wither height, ridge height, rump height, rump width and rump length, sternum height, body length, shin circumference, bicostal diameter, chest circumference and pelvis width of sheep, metapodium radiographs were taken by digital mobile X-ray device with DR system. Results: Between the values GL, Bp, SD, Bd, Be, WCL for metacarpus and GL, Bp, SD, Bd, Be, WCM, WCL and CM for metatarsus, sexual dimorphism was statistically significant when the radiometric measurement values of the metapodiums are examined (p < 0.001). The highest correlation value for the front leg was found between the GL value from the radiometry measurements of the metacarpal bones and the back height from the external structure measurement values (r: 0.684) when the correlation between metapodial radiometry and external structure features were examined. The highest correlation value for the hind limb was found between the SD value from the radiometric measurements of the metatarsal bones and the back height from the external structure measurement values (r: 0.679). Conclusion: Metapodiums, which they complete their development early in the body had strong relationships with the body measurements. The results obtained from the study show that metapodial radiometric features have the potential to be used in selection studies in terms of growth and meat yield

The Prevalence of Termination Variations of the Basilar Artery:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose: Understanding the vascular anatomical variations of the termination pattern of the basilar artery is crucial for both neurosurgical and interventional radiological procedures. Recent evidence indicates that variant bifurcation patterns of the basilar artery, differing from the classical textbook descrip- tion, are increasingly encountered. This study aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the prevalence of termination anomalies related to the basilar artery.Methods: This systematic review included human cadaveric and imaging studies on basilar artery termination patterns. PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Scopus databases were system- atically searched in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, us- ing the terms “(basilar OR vertebrobasilar OR (posterior AND circulation)) AND (anatomy OR termination OR trifurcation OR quadfurcation OR pentafurcation OR hexafurcation OR nonfurcation OR variation OR variant)”. A meta-analysis of proportions was conducted to assess the prevalence of each variation using a random intercept logistic regression model, following logit transformation of the proportions.Results: From 845 initial hits, 4 articles were eligible for the quantitative analysis. The estimated pooled proportions of bifurcation, trifurcation, quadfurcation, pentafurcation, hexa- furcation, and non-furcation in the artery, under the random effects model, were 62.22% (95%CI [34.48%; 83.75%]), 6.08% (95%CI [2.60%; 13.58%]), 5.27% (95%CI [2.17%; 12.27%]),2.06% (95%CI [0.96%; 4.35%]), 0.49% (95%CI [0.08%; 2.90%]), and 0.10% (95%CI [0.0%; 17.07%]), respectively. Heterogeneity analysis revealed significant variability among the studies (I2 up to 93.6%, p&lt;0.0001).Conclusion: More than one-third of basilar artery termi- nations exhibit anatomical variations other than bifurcation. Trifurcation and quadfurcation are the most commonly re- ported variations, each accounting for over 5% of cases. These variations might carry significant implications for regional neurosurgical and interventional radiological procedures.<br/

A Rare Presentation of Infantile Mediastinal Mature Cystic Teratoma Leading to Progressive Respiratory Failure - A Case Series

Purpose: Teratoma is a congenital tumour arising from one or more of the three germ cell layers in the embryo, with an incidence of 1.2-14.2 cases per 100,000 people per year. Mature cystic teratomas contain bone, cartilage, hair, nails, and cystic fluid filled spaces. Extragonadal teratomas are uncommon, and are usually detected incidentally in adults. Here, we report three cases of infantile mediastinal mature cystic teratomas presenting with impending acute respiratory failure.Methods: Three previously healthy infants (two were boys) aged 5-6 months presented with worsening respiratory tract infection and impending respiratory failure despite medical management. A chest radiograph revealed a large anterior mediastinal mass. CECT chest demonstrated the mediasti- nal tumour suggestive of Teratoma with a mediastinal shift, cardiac and tracheal compression. None of them had features of local infiltration. It was decided to proceed with surgical excision after multidisciplinary discussions. Mediastinum was approached with muscle sparing posterolateral thoracotomy in two patients. And the other child underwent right anterolat- eral thoracotomy. Excision of the tumour relieved the airway obstruction and mediastinal shift.Results: The symptoms improved rapidly following the tumour excision, and they were gradually weaned off from respiratory support. They received ITU care and recovered un- eventfully with no surgical complications. The histology of the excised tumours confirmed mature cystic teratoma.Conclusion: Mature cystic teratoma may rarely present in infancy with progressive respiratory failure, hence clinicians should have a high degree of suspicion. Complete excision is possible in most cases where there is a clear plane of dissection with the lesion and the surrounding structures with excellent clinical outcomes. Both anterolateral and posterolateral thora- cotomy approaches could be used to access the mediastinum.<br/

Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Kinanthropology

The 11th International Conference on Kinantropology was held on the Nov 29 – Dec 1, 2017 in Brno and was organized by the Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University and the Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb. This year was divided into several themes: sports medicine, sport and social science, sport training, healthy lifestyle and healthy ageing, sports management, analysis of human movement. Part of the conference was also a symposium Atletika and Ortoreha that gathered specialists in physiotherapy

Correlates of Non-Clinical Facial Asymmetry and Facial Sexual Dimorphism in a Sub-Saharan African Population

A substantial body of literature has reported on correlates of facial symmetry and facial masculinity/femininity including the role these two traits play in human mate choice. However, major gaps persist, with nearly all data originating from Western industrialised populations, and results remaining largely equivocal when compared across studies. This thesis has two parts: the 1st part sets out to explore if human variation in measures of socioeconomic and health status is reflected in variation in facial asymmetry as a measure of developmental stability, or reflected in variation in facial masculinity/femininity as a measure of facial sexual dimorphism. The faces of 426 participants (215 males, 211 females) from the Hausa ethnic group of northern Nigeria were scanned using a 3D surface laser scanner. This population could potentially provide greater variation in developmental and other environmental factors than studies based on Western industrialised populations. Facial asymmetry and masculinity data were generated from the resulting virtual 3D models, individual biometric data were recorded, and socioeconomic and past medical history data were acquired through questionnaires. For the 2nd part of the thesis, 179 raters (98 males, 81 females) were recruited in order to determine their perceptions and judgements of standardised facial images with different levels of asymmetry and masculinity/femininity using questionnaires. Data were analysed using bivariate and multivariate methods. Significant correlates of whole face asymmetry included age, body height, whole face surface area (WFSA), education and diastolic blood pressure (BP). Significant correlates of asymmetry in the eye region alone included weight, sex, body mass index (BMI), and diastolic BP. Significant correlates of facial masculinity/femininity included body height, number of siblings, income, and total disease loads (TOTDX) in females, and WFSA, occupation and TOTDX in males. In the 2nd part of the study, individuals with higher facial symmetry and facial femininity were perceived as more attractive, more suitable as marriage partners and more caring, whereas less symmetrical and more masculine individuals were perceived as more aggressive. Although the amount of variation explained by statistically significant correlates was routinely low, the results of this study are consistent with an evolutionary psychological perspec¬tive on the link between physical attractiveness, health and environment. The study can also conclusively assert that facial symmetry or masculinity preferences were not just dependent on single, but rather on multiple facial features; thus the study supports that physical attractiveness is not just an arbitrary social construct, but at least in part a cue to general health and related to environmental context

Clinical and molecular investigation of rare congenital defects of the palate

Cleft palate (CP) affects around 1/1500 live births and, along with cleft lip, is one of the most common forms of birth defect. The studies presented here focus on unusual defects of the palate, especially to understand better the rarely reported but surprisingly common condition called submucous cleft palate (SMCP). The frequency and consequences of SMCP from a surgical perspective were first investigated based on the caseload of the North Thames Cleft Service at Great Ormond Street Hospital and St Andrew's Centre, Broomfield Hospital, Mid Essex Hospitals Trust. It was previously reported that up to 80% of individuals with unrepaired SMCP experience speech difficulties as a consequence of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Attempted repair of the palatal defect can sometimes give poor results, so controversies still exist about the correct choice of surgical technique to use. Over 23 years, 222 patients at The North Thames Cleft Service underwent operations to manage SMCP. Nearly half of them (42.8%) were diagnosed with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2 DS). The first operation was palate repair, with an exception of one case, followed by a second surgical intervention required in approximately half of the patients. A third procedure to manage VPI was carried out in 6% of patients. To better understand the histological anatomy of the palatal muscles in cleft patients, biopsies were taken from levator veli palatini (LVP) and/or palatopharyngeus (PP) muscles during surgical correction of CP. Muscles were compared from patients with SMCP to those with overt CP and also to controls. The controls consisted of descending PP muscle fibres from healthy children who underwent a tonsillectomy operation for obstructive sleep apnoea or recurrent chronic tonsillitis. Fifty-seven biopsy samples were available from children between 10 months to 9 years of age. Individual biopsy samples were also available from patients with achondroplasia, Apert, Cornelia de Lange and Kabuki syndromes. The study showed a prevalence of fast fibres in both muscles in all CP types. However, in both SMCP LVP and SMCP 22q11.2 DS LVP, this trend was reversed in favour of slow fibres. Single cases with syndromes did not reveal any obvious differences compared to more common cleft types. Mutations in TBX22 are a frequent genetic cause of cleft palate and SMCP. The functional role of the encoded TBX22 transcription factor was investigated in a mouse model with SMCP. Cell lineage-specific fluorescence activated cell sorting of a conditional allele of Tbx22, was used to look at the RNA-Seq transcriptome in developing palatal shelves, with a view to identify downstream target genes. Eleven up regulated genes reached statistical significance after multiple testing correction in cranial mesoderm (CM) derived cells when comparing Tbx22null/Y and WT samples (Cspg4, Foxp2, Reln, Bmpr1b, Adgrb3, Sox6, Zim1, Scarna13, Fat1, Notch3, Peg3). Eleven genes were down regulated in the same comparison (Nr2f2, Lars2, Ahr, Aplnr, Emcn, Npnt, Apln, Ccr2, Tll1, Snord34, Snord99). Comparing Tbx22null/Y and WT in cranial neural crest (CNC) derived cells, only Cxcl14 was up regulated, while Tbx22 was down regulated. Osteoclast differentiation, calcium signalling, focal adhesion, Wnt signalling and cell adhesion molecule pathways were the most enriched pathways in functional annotation of significantly differentially expressed genes analysis. Finally, a family with an unusual velopharyngeal anatomy was investigated in order to determine the likely genetic cause. This involved the implementation of genetic technologies in an autosomal dominant multigeneration Egyptian family with 8 affected individuals who presented with absent uvula, short posterior border of the soft palate and abnormal pillars of the fauces. Using a combination of cytogenetic, linkage analysis and exome sequencing, followed by more detailed segregation and functional analysis, a dominantly acting missense mutation in the activation domain of FOXF2 was revealed. This variant was found to co-segregate with a copy number variant of unknown significance that could not at this stage be causally distinguished from the point mutation