• Canada
• 030101 anatomy & morphology close

Resume Les evaluations de la maturation squelettique (EMS) sont utilisees par les cliniciens pour optimiser le traitement donne a chaque patient. Cette etude porte sur les methodes analysant la relation entre la maturation squelettique main-poignet et celle des vertebres cervicales, ainsi que sur les limites de ces methodes chez des patients adolescents. Des radiographies (main-poignet et cephalographie laterale) ont ete obtenues sur des patients ( n = 62, âges de 11 a 17 ans) a deux temps (T1/T2) a des intervalles variant de 9,75 a 16,50 mois. Les radiographies ont ete evaluees a l’aide du systeme de stadification de la maturation des vertebres corticales (SC) et les index de maturation squelettique de Fishman (IMS). L’analyse des donnees fonctionnelles (ADF) nous a permis d’evaluer visuellement les modifications liees a la maturation des vertebres cervicales. L’IMS et la SC ont augmente pendant la periode d’observation. Nous avons releve une correlation moderee entre l’âge et l’IMS (0,707/0,651 a T1/T2) et une faible correlation avec la SC (0,431/0,314 a T1/T2). Nous avons releve des traces de variabilite de l’IMS en fonction du sexe. Les correlations entre l’IMS et la SC etaient de 0,513 et 0,372 a T1 et T2, respectivement. L’ADF a mis en exergue la difficulte de differencier les stades cervicaux contigus. Des divergences existent entre les deux methodes d’evaluation. D’autres etudes sont necessaires pour surmonter les difficultes rencontrees avec la SC. En raison de ces disparites, il est conseille aux cliniciens d’utiliser les methodes d’EMS avec precaution chez les patients adolescents. Des references separees pour garcons et filles ne sont pas necessaires.

<i>Objective:</i> To investigate the prevalence of haptoglobin (Hp) gene alleles in Kuwaiti sickle cell disease (SCD) patients, who generally have a mild phenotype, and compare the pattern to Nigerian SCD patients whose SCD phenotype is more severe. <i>Subjects and Methods:</i> Hp genotyping was carried out in a group of 82 and 54 SCD patients from Kuwait and Nigeria, respectively, and appropriate Hb AA controls. The Hp genotyping was done using a PCR technique followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. <i>Results:</i> The frequency of the Hp-2 allele was 73.8% among Kuwaiti SCD patients, while the Hp-1 allele predominated among Nigerian patients (60.7%). However, the differences were not significant (p > 0.05) when the allele distributions were compared between Kuwaiti SCD and their AA counterparts or between Nigerian SCD and their AA controls. There was no association of Hp-2 allele with frequent vaso-occlusive crisis among the Kuwaiti SCD patients. <i>Conclusion:</i> The distribution of Hp alleles appears to follow ethnic and geographical trends. Their role in the pathophysiology of pain crisis is not clear.

Abstract Background Radiology integration into medical anatomy courses is well established, but there is a paucity of literature on integrating virtual dissection into cadaveric dissection laboratories. Virtual dissection is the digital dissection of medical images on touchscreen anatomy visualization tables. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of integrating virtual dissection into a first-year medical cadaver-based anatomy course and to assess students’ overall attitude towards this new technology. Methods All students in first-year medicine at a single medical school participated in this study (n = 292). Six virtual dissection laboratories, which focused on normal anatomy, were developed and integrated into a cadaver-based anatomy course. The virtual dissection table (VDT) was also integrated into the final anatomy spot exam. Following the course, students completed a short evidence-informed survey which was developed using a theoretical framework for curriculum evaluation. Numerical data were tabulated, and qualitative content analysis was performed on students’ unstructured comments. Results The survey response rate was 69.2% (n = 202/292). Most (78.7%) students reported that virtual dissection enhanced their understanding of the cadaveric anatomy and the clinical applications of anatomy. Most (73.8%) students also felt that the VDT was an effective use of the laboratory time. Thirteen narrative comments were collected, most of which (61.5%) identified strengths of the curriculum. Conclusions In this pilot study, students perceived that their learning was enhanced when virtual dissection was combined with a cadaver-based anatomy laboratory. This study demonstrates that there is potential for virtual dissection to augment cadaveric dissection in medical education.

Abstract Peripheral densitometry is increasingly being used in the management of osteoporosis, but the optimal diagnostic thresholds have not been defined. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal T -score for peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (pDXA) of the heel using a GE Lunar PIXI and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the heel using a GE Lunar Achilles Plus when compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of central sites (spine, femoral neck, or total hip). Ninety-nine women (mean age 69 ± 8, range 33–86 yr) referred from the metabolic bone clinic were studied. The optimal T -score for pDXA from ROC analysis was –1.7 and for QUS was –2.5. The pDXA T -score that defined the same prevalence of osteoporosis at any central site was also –1.7 and for QUS was –2.4. These results are similar to the manufacturer's recommendations. There is no significant difference in performance between the PIXI and QUS.

Assessments of skeletal maturation (ASM) are used by clinicians to optimize treatments for each patient. This study examines the interrelationship between and limitations of hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae maturation methods in adolescent patients. Radiographs (hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric) were obtained from patients (n=62, 11 to 17 years of age) at two-time periods (T1/T2) with time intervals of 9.75 to 16.50 months. Radiographs were scored using cervical vertebral maturation staging (CS) and Fishman's skeletal maturation indices (SMI). Functional data analysis was used to visually assess maturational changes of the cervical vertebrae. Both SMI and CS increased over the period of observation. Age was moderately correlated with SMI (0.707/0.651 at T1/T2) and mildly correlated with CS (0.431/0.314 at T1/T2). There was some evidence of gender variability in SMI. The correlations between SMI and CS were 0.513 and 0.372 at T1 and T2, respectively. Functional data analysis illustrated the difficulty in differentiating contiguous cervical stages. Discrepancies exist between both scoring methods. Further studies are needed to overcome the difficulties encountered with CS. Clinicians are advised to use ASM methods with caution in adolescent patients given the aforementioned discrepancies. Separate references for boys and girls are not required.

AbstractRegular anatomical (RA) terminology rules were developed to simplify and clarify Latin anatomical terms in a systematic manner. These rules, which prohibit conjunctions, prepositions, and appositions, and define a consistent word order pattern, are extensions of the original 1895 rule of anatomical nomenclature that anatomical terms should be as short and simple as possible. It is not coincidental that most terms in Terminologia Anatomica (TA), and many traditional terms that were not used in TA, are consistent with RA term rules, and that the RA term rules are also consistent with the guidelines for expanding short form terms to full, unique terms. The consistent form of RA terms facilitates learning and translation, and is easier for humans and machines to manipulate than terms that are not compliant with RA term rules. Despite assertions to the contrary, RA terms are proper Latin terms that simplify the anatomical terminology and, in many cases, restore traditional terms.

In order to elucidate the mechanism of adhesion between the gingiva and the tooth, detailed comparative ultrastructural studies of the dentogingival border were done in the monkey and shark. The tissues were prepared with or without demineralization for the ultrastructural observations. At the border, the internal basement membrane, which is firmly bound to the junctional epithelium through hemidesmosomes, was specialized differently in these species. In the monkey, the lamina densa was closely associated at its enamel side with an additional layer which had characteristics of the lamina densa and was referred to as the supplementary lamina densa. In the shark, the lamina densa showed a unique, hemidesmosome-related specialization in the form of the intermittent occurrence of bulges along its surface facing the epithelium. In nondemineralized tissues a part of the basement membrane, that is, the supplementary lamina densa (monkey) and the main lamina densa but not bulges (shark), was preferentially mineralized. The mineral deposit was continuous with that in the enamel and enameloid/dentine, thus constituting an advancing edge of mineralization. The network arrangement of the mineral crystals in the monkey basement membrane resembled the pattern of the cord network of the basement membrane, suggesting the presence of a delicate mutual basement membrane-mineral interaction. Thus, the organic phase and the mineral phase are allowed to make contact at this mineralized area of the basement membrane and firmly bind to one another. Therefore, strong gingiva-tooth adhesion is established by partial mineralization of the internal basement membrane, in a way similar to that found in the previously reported association of maturation stage ameloblasts with the enamel.

In a canine model of asthma, the identity and relationships of two types of cells with eosinophilic granules found in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were investigated. Five female and three male newborn mongrel dogs were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of 500 μg ragweed in 30 mg aluminum hydroxide repeated weekly for 8 weeks and then biweekly until 16 weeks of age. Three female and two male littermate controls received 30 mg aluminum hydroxide. From 4 months of age, dogs received six breaths of wet-nebulized ragweed solution through an endotracheal tube bimonthly. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed 2 months or more after the last exposure to ragweed and was repeated 5 hours after ragweed inhalation. Dogs studied were 15 to 38 months of age. Eosinophilic cell populations were determined in BAL and peripheral blood; cells were examined by light and electron microscopy. Two eosinophilic cell types were in BAL: an eosinophil and an atypical cell with globule leukocyte characteristics. Specific microgranules, a constant feature of eosinophils, were prominent in the atypical cell and suggest a relationship to the eosinophil granulocyte series for the atypical cell and cells identified by others as globule leukocytes. In ragweed sensitized animals, there were more eosinophilic cells in BAL fluid and more eosinophils in peripheral blood. There was a proportional increase in BAL eosinophils 5 hours after ragweed inhalation and a corresponding decline in peripheral blood eosinophils. There was no increase in numbers of eosinophils in the sensitized animals; eosinophil and atypical cell numbers in littermate controls were unchanged.