Hypothenar Muscles and Guyon’s Canal

The increased number of articles in the last years about hypothenar variations and some misdescriptions and the role of the additional structures to ulnar nerve and artery compression, as well as my unostentatious contribution in the field, provoked me to write this chapter. The aim of it is to present in detail the usual hypothenar muscular anatomy, including the origins and insertions of the hypothenar muscles, their relations to each other, the vascular supply and innervation, the function of the muscles, the reported variations and their possible clinical implications. Herein, I also presented briefly the Guyon’s canal anatomy and some interesting comments about it. Presenting the compendium about hypothenar muscles and the canal to my opinion will help the anatomists and the clinicians to better understand the clinically oriented anatomy. They also will be more qualified in the anatomical dissection course as well as during the surgical interventions. The detailed knowledge of the anatomy in the region would be also useful to medical students in better understanding the hypothenar region

Tarsal tunnel syndrome caused by anomalous muscle: case report

Accessory muscles within the tarsal tunnel have been reported as a rare cause of tarsal tunnel syndrome. The most common variation provoking this pathologic condition is the flexor digitorum accessorius longus muscle. Herein, we present a rare case of a patient with tarsal tunnel syndrome due to this muscular variation. The discussion of this case report can prompt foot and ankle surgeons to be more aware of this infrequent finding

The Deep Fascia of the Forearm and the Ulnar Nerve: An Anatomical Study.

Introduction A reoperation for a cubital tunnel syndrome is not uncommon. Patients often complain of sensorimotor symptoms in the ulnar nerve distribution after their primary surgery. The documented etiologies for such a phenomenon include a new kinking of the distal ulnar nerve and a new compression of the ulnar nerve by the fascial septum in between or tendinous bands over the muscles of the forearm. The deep fascial plane along which the ulnar nerve travels in the forearm has had scant attention. We present an anatomical study to provide a better understanding of such etiologies to aid physicians in performing successful primary ulnar nerve release that does not lead to risky reoperations and ultimately yields improved patient satisfaction. Materials and methods The forearms of 12 fresh frozen cadavers (24 arms) underwent dissection, during which the fascial relationships between the ulnar nerve and muscles of the anterior compartment were explored with a blunt technique. The relationship between the fascial planes and the ulnar nerve was quantitatively and qualitatively documented. The ranges of motion of the elbow were also observed for any potential compression points on the nerve during the movement. Results In all specimens (n = 24), the ulnar nerve entered the forearm between the humeral and ulnar heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris, after which it routed deep to a deep fascia between the anterior surface of the flexor carpi ulnaris and the posterior surface of the flexor digitorum superficialis. Ulnar nerve branches to the flexor carpi ulnaris pierced this fascial septum while en route to the posterior surface of the muscle. Medially, the branches to the flexor digitorum profundus also pierced this fascial plane. In most arms, the fascia became thinner near the junction between the proximal two-thirds and distal one-third of the forearm. On no side was the ulnar nerve found to be grossly compressed by this deep fascia. However, with the extension of the elbow, a degree of angulation of the proximal ulnar nerve was observed due to its compact connection with the deep fascia. Conclusion Our study revealed that there is an intimate relationship between the ulnar nerve and the deep fascia of the forearm. Since the ulnar branches to the overlying flexor carpi ulnaris pierce this deep structure, a care should be given to its anatomical course during surgery in this region to prevent denervation of the muscle

Comparative electron microscopic and immunohistochemical study of stromal cells in giant cell tumor of bone

Giant cell tumor of bone is an osseous neoplasm that is histologically benign but clinically shows local aggression and high rate of recurrence. The histogenesis of this lesion remains unclear. The histological appearance does not predict the clinical outcome and there are still many unanswered questions with regard to both its treatment and prognosis. In order to further clarify this lesion, we examined ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically the tumor mononuclear cells in ten patients operated on in our hospital for matrix metalloproteinase-9. Positive reaction was detected in the spindle-like stromal cells of giant cell tumor of bone and these cells had the ultrastructural characteristics of fibroblastic cells. The other mononuclear cells did not express matrix metalloproteinase-9 and showed ultrastuctural characteristics of macrophage-like cells. The positive reaction for matrix metalloproteinase-9 in all patients clearly shows that this protease may play a key role in the pathophysiology of giant cell tumor of bone

Accessory part of the deltoid muscle

The shoulder and arm region has numerous morphological variations. The deltoid muscle usually consists of three parts: anterior, middle and posterior. This case report describes a very rare deltoid muscle variant, an addition to the spinal part that is attached proximally at the infraspinatus fascia and the spine of the scapula. The distal attachment transforms directly into the brachialis muscle. Additional parts can affect the biomechanics and function of the joints significantly

Histological and ultrastructural evaluation of the early healing of the lateral collateral ligament epiligament tissue in a rat knee model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In this study, we evaluated the changes which occurred in the epiligament, an enveloping tissue of the ligament, during the ligament healing. We assessed the association of epiligament elements that could be involved in ligament healing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty-two 8-month old male Wistar rats were used in this study. In twenty-four of them the lateral collateral ligament of the knee joint was surgically transected and was allowed to heal spontaneously. The evaluation of the epiligament healing included light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At the eight, sixteenth and thirtieth day after injury, the animals were sacrificed and the ligaments were examined. Our results revealed that on the eight and sixteenth day post-injury the epiligament tissue is not completely regenerated. Till the thirtieth day after injury the epiligament is similar to normal, but not fully restored.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study offered a more complete description of the epiligament healing process and defined its important role in ligament healing. Thus, we provided a base for new strategies in ligament treatment.</p

First g(2+) measurement on neutron-rich 72 Zn, and the high-velocity transient field technique for radioactive heavy-ion beams

The high-velocity transient-field (HVTF) technique was used to measure the g factor of the 2+ state of 72Zn produced as a radioactive beam. The transient-field strength was probed at high velocity in ferromagnetic iron and gadolinium hosts using 76Ge beams. The potential of the HVTF method is demonstrated and the difficulties that need to be overcome for a reliable use of the TF technique with high-Z, high-velocity radioactive beams are revealed. The polarization of K-shell vacancies at high velocity, which shows more than an order of magnitude difference between Z = 20 and Z = 30 is discussed. The g-factor measurement hints at the theoretically predicted transition in the structure of the Zn isotopes near N = 40

Reconstruction of the Transmission History of RNA Virus Outbreaks Using Full Genome Sequences: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Bulgaria in 2011

<div><p>Improvements to sequencing protocols and the development of computational phylogenetics have opened up opportunities to study the rapid evolution of RNA viruses in real time. In practical terms, these results can be combined with field data in order to reconstruct spatiotemporal scenarios that describe the origin and transmission pathways of viruses during an epidemic. In the case of notifiable diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), these analyses provide important insights into the epidemiology of field outbreaks that can support disease control programmes. This study reconstructs the origin and transmission history of the FMD outbreaks which occurred during 2011 in Burgas Province, Bulgaria, a country that had been previously FMD-free-without-vaccination since 1996. Nineteen full genome sequences (FGS) of FMD virus (FMDV) were generated and analysed, including eight representative viruses from all of the virus-positive outbreaks of the disease in the country and 11 closely-related contemporary viruses from countries in the region where FMD is endemic (Turkey and Israel). All Bulgarian sequences shared a single putative common ancestor which was closely related to the index case identified in wild boar. The closest relative from outside of Bulgaria was a FMDV collected during 2010 in Bursa (Anatolia, Turkey). Within Bulgaria, two discrete genetic clusters were detected that corresponded to two episodes of outbreaks that occurred during January and March-April 2011. The number of nucleotide substitutions that were present between, and within, these separate clusters provided evidence that undetected FMDV infection had occurred. These conclusions are supported by laboratory data that subsequently identified three additional FMDV-infected livestock premises by serosurveillance, as well as a number of antibody positive wild boar on both sides of the border with Turkish Thrace. This study highlights how FGS analysis can be used as an effective on-the-spot tool to support and help direct epidemiological investigations of field outbreaks.</p> </div

Worldwide tests of generic attractants, a promising tool for early detection of non-native cerambycid species

A large proportion of the insects which have invaded new regions and countries are emerging species, being found for the first time outside their native range. Being able to detect such species upon arrival at ports of entry before they establish in non-native countries is an urgent challenge. The deployment of traps baited with broad-spectrum semiochemical lures at ports-of-entry and other high-risk sites could be one such early detection tool. Rapid progress in the identification of semiochemicals for cerambycid beetles during the last 15 years has revealed that aggregation-sex pheromones and sex pheromones are often conserved at global levels for genera, tribes or subfamilies of the Cerambycidae. This possibly allows the development of generic attractants which attract multiple species simultaneously, especially when such pheromones are combined into blends. Here, we present the results of a worldwide field trial programme conducted during 2018-2021, using traps baited with a standardised 8-pheromone blend, usually com-plemented with plant volatiles. A total of 1308 traps were deployed at 302 sites covering simultaneously or sequentially 13 European countries, 10 Chinese provinces and some regions of the USA, Canada, Australia, Russia (Siberia) and the Caribbean (Martinique). We intended to test the following hypotheses: 1) if a species is regularly trapped in significant numbers by the blend on a continent, it increases the prob-ability that it can be detected when it arrives in other countries/continents and 2) if the blend exerts an effective, generic attraction to multiple species, it is likely that previously unknown and unexpected spe-cies can be captured due to the high degree of conservation of pheromone structures within related taxa. A total of 78,321 longhorned beetles were trapped, representing 376 species from eight subfamilies, with 84 species captured in numbers greater than 50 individuals. Captures comprised 60 tribes, with 10 tribes including more than nine species trapped on different continents. Some invasive species were captured in both the native and invaded continents. This demonstrates the potential of multipheromone lures as ef-fective tools for the detection of 'unexpected' cerambycid invaders, accidentally translocated outside their native ranges. Adding new pheromones with analogous well-conserved motifs is discussed, as well as the limitations of using such blends, especially for some cerambycid taxa which may be more attracted by the trap colour or other characteristics rather than to the chemical blend