An unusual variation in the formation and termination of the sciatic nerve - a case report

The sciatic nerve (SN) presented with unusual patterns in which five smaller fibers instead of one or two nerves at the level of the Piriformis muscle. Those five fibers measured 7.5 cm from their origin to where they joined to form the SN. The SN terminated in the popliteal fossa by giving rise to three terminal branches: the tibial nerve, the common peroneal nerve, and another unusual nerve that supplied the medial head of the gastrocnemius. This case is unusual because the SN presents with different positional variations of its two components in relation to the piriformis muscle but not five fibers; in addition, the SN normally bifurcates instead of trifurcating when it reaches in the popliteal fossa. The case presented a Type A pattern of SN to the piriformis muscle. This type of pattern has been documented to be the most common in some parts of Africa. Some authors have reported two patterns of trifurcation of the SN. One is a pattern where the SN gave rise to the tibial, superficial, and deep peroneal nerves at the popliteal fossa, and another is a trifurcation pattern where it gave rise to the tibial, common peroneal, and sural nerves. The case is different as it presents an unusual unreported pattern where the SN trifurcates by giving rise to the tibial, common peroneal, and nerve that supplies the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. The current variation has never been reported elsewhere

Gender-based performance in anatomy modules among students of the School of Medicine and Pharmacy, the University of Rwanda

INTRODUCTION: Narrowing the gender gap and making education more inclusive are the primary objectives of the government of Rwanda and its stakeholders. However, women are underrepresented in science, technology, and engineering. Fortunately, female medical students have increased steadily in recent years. The objective was to investigate the difference between female and male performance in Anatomy METHODS: The marks of five academic years 2017-2018 to 2021-2022 were used. IBM SPSS Statistics 23 was used to analyze the data. Male and female performance was analyzed based on the general mean scores, then the mean scores of each module, and finally the grade ranges [85%] in five years. The standard deviation and P-values were calculated for difference analysis. RESULTS: 2433 records, 1534 (63.1%) males and 899 (36.9%) females, were pulled out, of which 35 students retook the modules; 19 females and 16 males. 41% of females and 39.6% of males scored between 60-69%, followed by 28.7% of females and 33.5% of males scored between 7084%, 22.5% of females and 20.4% of males scored between 50-59%, and then 6.7% of females and 6.0% of male failed by scoring 85%. CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference between male and female students’ performances in Anatomy when compared (p>0.05). However, efforts should be made to determine the reasons for the gender gap in sciences and also to find means to attract more female students into science-based courses and professions

Male-female interactions in multimale groups of mountain gorillas

Male–female social interactions may vary according to female receptivity, female parity, and male dominance rank. Such variation may be less apparent in species with one‐male mating systems than those with multimale mating systems, as within‐group male–male competition and female mate choice are absent. Examining variation in male–female interactions in multimale groups in species with a predominantly one‐male mating system may help to shed light on plasticity in behavioral patterns and the evolution of mating systems. In this study, we investigated the effect of female receptivity (i.e., days when mating occurred), female parity, and male dominance rank on the patterns of spatial proximity, grooming, following, and aggression among 34 male–female dyads in four multi‐male groups of Virunga mountain gorillas. In addition, as a preliminary investigation of potential physiological costs incurred by females in a mating context (coercion), we tested whether female receptivity and female parity explained variation in immunoreactive glucocorticoid (iGC) levels of females. The amount of time male–female dyads spent in close proximity was significantly higher for parous versus nulliparous females and for high‐ versus low‐ranking males. The rate of male aggression to females did not vary significantly with female parity, male rank, or female receptivity. However, post hoc analysis showed that both proximity and aggression increased for the males that participated in the matings on days that females were receptive. Grooming and following by males occurred infrequently. Neither female receptivity nor parity influenced iGC levels in females, a finding that is more consistent with courtship than coercion of females by males. Overall, our results suggest that males advertise their ability to provide protection to females and their offspring, and females seek out males that can do so

Evaluation des performances de reproduction des femelles zébus Gobra et des croisés F1 après insémination artificielle en milieu traditionnel dans la région de Thiès au Sénégal

Assessment of the Reproduction Performance of Gobra Zebu Females and F1 Crossbreeds after Artificial Insemination in Traditional Environment in the region of Thies (Senegal). This study was carried out from October 2007 to March 2009 on 237 Gobra zebus after an insemination campaign in the area of Thies (Senegal) where it aimed at evaluating the performance of Gobra females and their products after artificial insemination. The rate of gestation was 44.3% (n=105) with an average pregnant period of 289±6 days. The rates of birth (total number of cows having calved on total number of inseminated cows), prolificacy (total number of crossbreed born on total number of kidding cows) and abortion (total number of aborted cows during the period of pregnancy on total number of pregnant cows) were respectively 34.6 (n=82), 106, and 21.9% (n=23). The rate of abortion was significantly influenced by the Body Condition Score (BCS) at the day of the diagnosis of gestation (p<0.05) and the age of the cows (p<0.04).The size of the range had a significant effect (p<0.04) over the gestation period. The birth rate was significantly influenced by the BCS at day 60 after insemination. In F1crossbreed (products resulting from the insemination of the Gobra female by either Holstein, or Montbeliard semen), the rates of still birth (number of fetuses still-birth after a normal pregnancy), gemellity (total number of twin births on total number of recorded births) and mortality were 8 (n=7), 6.89 (n=6) and 4.6% (n=4) respectively, with a sex-ratio in favor of the females. The average body weights at birth, three and six months later were 24.5±0.5 kg, 46±1.7 kg, 91.87±2.6 kg respectively, in calves (n=59) raised in stalling parked permanently receiving enclosures of the straw, the crop waste products, industrial concentrated food. They amount to 21.64±1.2 kg, 33.2±4.28 kg, 67.1±16.3 kg, respectively, in calves (n=178) led in extensive breeding with natural pasture during the day with a shepherd and crop waste products (sheets and stems of manioc, corn stems, groundnut hulls) the evening in enclosure when returning in the pasture. The prices of F1crossbreed females at 3 and 6 months after birth were statistically different from those of the males