Anatomical Differences (anatomical + difference)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The Right Gastroepiploic Artery in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

JOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 4 2008
Hideki Sasaki M.D.
Although some reports presenting good results justify its use in clinical settings, there is still much concern about using the RGEA in bypass surgery. The RGEA demonstrates different behaviors from the internal thoracic artery (ITA) in bypass surgery due to its histological characteristics and anatomical difference, which might contribute to the long-term outcome. Now that left ITA (LITA) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) is the gold standard, other grafts are expected to cover the rest of the coronary arteries. It should be elucidated how we can use other grafts and what we can expect from them. RGEA, as an arterial graft, can be used as an in situ graft or a free graft. The RGEA is mainly used to graft to the right coronary artery (RCA) because of its anatomical position, and its patency is not inferior to that of the saphenous vein (SVG). The RGEA can cover the lateral walls when its length is long enough or by making a composite graft with other grafts. However, when used to graft to the LAD, its mid-term patency is not favorable. [source]


Effect of elbow position on canine flexor digitorum profundus tendon tension

JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005
Tatsuro Tanaka
Abstract Tendon injury in the finger remains a clinical challenge to hand surgeons. A canine model is commonly used to study biological effects of tendon injuries and their treatment. There is an important anatomical difference between human and canine anatomy that may be overlooked, however, namely that most of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) muscle in dogs takes its origin from the medial epicondyle of the humerus, whereas in humans this muscle arises purely from the forearm. Therefore, elbow position can affect the tension of this muscle in dogs, while having no effect in humans. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of elbow position on tendon tension in the canine digit in vitro. Elbow position had a significant effect on tendon tension. Digit motion with the elbow fully flexed resulted in significantly higher tendon tension compared to digit motion with the elbow flexed 90° or fully extended, regardless of digit or wrist position (p < 0.05). The tension with the elbow flexed 90° was also significantly higher than with the elbow fully extended (p < 0.05). The maximum tendon tension with the elbow fully flexed was more than eight times larger than that of the fully extended elbow (p < 0.05). We conclude that, in the canine model, elbow position is an important parameter that affects the passive tension applied to the flexor digitorum profundus, and, by implication, to any repair of that tendon. Dog flexor tendon rehabilitation protocols should therefore specify elbow position, in addition to wrist and digit position. © 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. [source]


How Neandertals inform human variation

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Milford H. Wolpoff
Abstract Since their first discovery, Neandertals have served as an out-group for interpreting human variation. Their out-group role has changed over the years because in spite of the fact that Neandertals are the most abundant of all fossil remains (or perhaps because of this) their interpretation is the most controversial of all human fossils. Many believe them to be a different, albeit human-like species, but recent genetic evidence supports anatomical interpretations indicating that interbreeding with other humans was an important aspect of human evolution. The combination of anatomical difference and restricted gene flow between populations suggests the possibility that Neandertals may have been a true human race. Am J Phys Anthropol 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


The neuroanatomy of grapheme,color synesthesia

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 6 2009
Lutz Jäncke
Abstract Grapheme,color synesthetes perceive particular colors when seeing a letter, word or number (grapheme). Functional neuroimaging studies have provided some evidence in favor of a neural basis for this type of synesthesia. Most of these studies have reported extra activations in the fusiform gyrus, which is known to be involved in color, letter and word processing. The present study examined different neuroanatomical features (i.e. cortical thickness, cortical volume and cortical surface area) in a sample of 48 subjects (24 grapheme,color synesthetes and 24 control subjects), and revealed increased cortical thickness, volume and surface area in the right and left fusiform gyrus and in adjacent regions, such as the lingual gyrus and the calcarine cortex, in grapheme,color synesthetes. In addition, we set out to analyze structural connectivity based on fractional anisotropy (FA) measurements in a subsample of 28 subjects (14 synesthetes and 14 control subjects). In contrast to the findings of a recent neuroanatomical study using modern diffusion tensor imaging measurement techniques, we did not detect any statistically significant difference in FA between synesthetes and non-synesthetes in the fusiform gyri. Our study thus supports the hypothesis of local anatomical differences in cortical characteristics in the vicinity of the V4 complex. The observed altered brain anatomy in grapheme,color synesthetes might be the anatomical basis for this particular form of synesthesia but it is also possible that the detected effects are a consequence (rather than the primary cause) of the life-long experience of grapheme,color synesthesia. [source]


Evolution of the nose and nasal skeleton in primates

EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 4 2007
Timothy D. Smith
Abstract One traditional diagnostic feature of the Order Primates is a decreased emphasis on olfaction.1, 2 Some authors attribute this feature only to tarsiers and anthropoids, either through convergence or as a common feature of haplorhines.2,4 Other authors de-emphasize olfaction relative to vision,5,7 which does not necessarily denote olfactory reduction per se. There are lengthy roots to this discussion. The importance of the sense of smell to at least some primates, humans in particular, has long been viewed as secondary to the importance of visual, auditory, and tactile senses. Smell, or olfaction, is viewed as the primitive special sense, the stimuli perceived in an unconscious manner, submerged relative to higher neural functions,1 and a sense that has been increasingly reduced during the course of primate evolution.1,8 Anatomical structures related to olfaction differ profoundly in proportions and complexity between higher taxonomic groups of primates (Haplorhini, Strepsirrhini). These anatomical differences are beyond dispute (Box 1). However, the relationship between the anatomical differences and primate sensory abilities, and hence the validity of using them to group primates into "microsmatic" or "macrosmatic" categories,9, 10 is less clear when we examine the physiological and genetic data on primate olfaction. [source]


3D Mapping of brain differences in native signing congenitally and prelingually deaf subjects

HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 7 2010
Natasha Leporé
Abstract In the prelingual and congenital deaf, functional reorganization is known to occur throughout brain regions normally associated with hearing. However, the anatomical correlates of these changes are not yet well understood. Here, we perform the first tensor-based morphometric analysis of voxel-wise volumetric differences in native signing prelingual and congenitally deaf subjects when compared with hearing controls. We obtained T1-weighted scans for 14 native signing prelingual and congenitally deaf subjects and 16 age- and gender-matched controls. We used linear and fluid registration to align each image to a common template. Using the voxel-wise determinant of the Jacobian of the fluid deformation, significant volume increases, of up to 20%, were found in frontal lobe white matter regions including Broca's area, and adjacent regions involved in motor control and language production. A similar analysis was performed on hand-traced corpora callosa. A strong trend for group differences was found in the area of the splenium considered to carry fibers connecting the temporal (and occipital) lobes. These anatomical differences may reflect experience-mediated developmental differences in myelination and cortical maturation associated with prolonged monomodal sensory deprivation. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Die Blattanatomie eines schnell und eines langsam wachsenden Grases in Abhängigkeit von der Stickstoffversorgung

JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 4 2001
G. Schulte auf'm Erley
Leaf anatomy of a fast- and a slow-growing grass as dependent on nitrogen supply The grass species Lolium perenne and Festuca rubra, originating from habitats with differing N-availability, differ in their relative growth rate. This is mainly caused by the higher specific leaf area of L. perenne compared to F. rubra. The leaf anatomy of both species was further investigated. The species were raised in growth chambers under high and low N-supply. The higher specific leaf area of L. perenne (27 mm2 mg,1) in relation to F. rubra (14 mm2 mg,1) was mainly caused by a lower leaf density (0.23 vs. 0.33 mg mm,3). The level of N-supply influenced both leaf density and leaf thickness. The leaf volume of L. perenne comprised higher fractions of epidermis and lower fractions of mesophyll and intercellular space compared to F. rubra. However, the discrepancy in leaf density between the species could not be explained by anatomical differences. Under low N-supply, the leaves of both species had higher amounts of vascular bundles and fibre cells and lower amounts of intercellular space, which partly explained the higher density of the leaves. It is concluded, that thinner cell walls and higher amounts of cytoplasm cause the higher specific leaf area of L. perenne. Die Grasarten Lolium perenne und Festuca rubra, die auf Standorten mit unterschiedlicher N-Verfügbarkeit beheimatet sind, unterscheiden sich in ihrer relativen Wachstumsrate. Der Hauptgrund dafür liegt in der höheren spezifischen Blattfläche von L. perenne gegenüber F. rubra. Von beiden Arten wurde die Blattanatomie näher untersucht, nachdem sie in Klimakammern unter einer hohen und einer niedrigen N-Versorgungsstufe angezogen worden waren. Es zeigte sich, daß sich die höhere spezifische Blattfläche von L. perenne (27 mm2 mg,1) gegenüber F. rubra (14 mm2 mg,1) auf eine niedrigere Blattdichte zurückführen ließ (0,23 gegenüber 0,33 mg mm,3). Die Höhe der N-Versorgung beeinflußte sowohl die Blattdichte als auch die Blattdicke. Die Blätter von L. perenne hatten gegenüber denen von F. rubra höhere Volumenanteile an Epidermis und geringere Anteile an Mesophyll und Interzellularen. Die Unterschiede in der Blattdichte zwischen den Spezies ließen sich hierdurch nicht erklären. Unter niedriger N-Versorgung hatten die Blätter beider Arten höhere Anteile an Leit- und Faserbündeln und weniger Interzellularraum, was die höhere Blattdichte unter niedriger N-Versorgung teilweise erklärt. Es wird gefolgert, daß insgesamt dünnere Zellwände und mehr Cytoplasma die höhere spezifische Blattfläche von L. perenne verursachen. [source]


ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Radiological review of intercostal artery: Anatomical considerations when performing procedures via intercostal space

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
S Choi
Abstract Introduction: The aim of this study was to closely examine the course of the intercostal arteries within the intercostal spaces particularly with regard to where the arteries were located in relation to their adjacent ribs. The degree of tortuosity of the arteries was also examined, along with anatomical differences in different age groups. Methods: A total of 81 patients between the age of 30 and 90 years who had underwent a CT examination of the chest for any indication were included in the study. All studies were performed on a dual source 64 slice CT (Siemens Definition Erlangen Germany). Analysis of the intercostal arteries was performed on a CT workstation using volume rendered 3D reconstructions F, or each patient the 10'n intercostals pacesb ilaterally were examined for the course and tortuosity of the intercostal arteries. Results: The ICA is located relatively inferiorly in the intercostal space at costovertebral junction and it gradually becomes more superiorly positioned within the intercostal space it as courses laterally. This finding was consistent in all age groups. In addition, analysis of the data demonstrated increasing intercostal artery tortuosity with advancing age. Conclusion: In this study we have examined the course of the posterior intercostal arteries using MDCT. This study confirms the classical description of the course of ICA. We have shown that in the medial chest, posteriorly, the artery is located in the inferior half of the intercostal space. As it moves away from the costovertebral junction it travels closer to the inferior border of the rib above and reaches the intercostal groove. We have also shown that the artery tends to be more tortuous in elderly patients, decreasing the area of "safe" space for interventions. Both of these findings are relevant to radiologists and non-radiologists performing interventional procedures via the intercostal space. [source]


UICC-2002 TNM classification is not suitable for differentiated thyroid cancer in children and adolescents

PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 6 2008
Prasad T. Oommen MD
Abstract Background Recently the UICC-TNM classification for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) was changed neglecting the special circumstances for children affected by the disease. While the 1997 TNM classification grouped tumours ,1 cm as T1, the 2002 system changed this to a margin of ,2 cm. The consequences of this change were evaluated by analysing patients enrolled in the multicentre interdisciplinary therapy study of the German Society of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology (GPOH) on malignant endocrine tumours in children and adolescents, GPOH-MET 97. Procedure Between 1998 and 2005, 82 patients with histologically proven DTC entered the study. Patients classified according to UICC-TNM classification 1997 were reclassified according to the new classification (2002/2003) and vice versa by cross checking with original pathologist's reports. Results Twenty males and 62 females at a mean age of 12.5 years were evaluated. We observed a definite shift from patients formerly classified as T2 (1,4 cm) to category T1 (,2 cm) according to the 2002 TNM classification. Among these patients a threefold increase of lymph node involvement and/or distant metastases could be demonstrated. Conclusions The 2002 UICC-classification may have a disadvantage for children with tumours measuring between 1 and 2 cm, as those are now classified as T1. A high rate of lymph node involvement in this group reflects the risk of under-diagnosis and -treatment of this group. The current TNM classification for DTC in children should be changed taking the physiological and anatomical differences between children and adults into consideration. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:1159,1162. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Difference in the Length of the Medial and Lateral Metacarpal and Metatarsal Condyles in Calves and Cows , A Post-Mortem Study

ANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 6 2007
S. Nacambo
Summary Measurements were taken in the metacarpal and metatarsal bones in 42 calves and 10 dairy cows post-mortem to determine whether there are anatomical differences in bone length. Manual and digital measurements of various bone length parameters were taken. There was a significant difference in the mean length of the condyles of the metacarpal and the metatarsal bones in calves and cows, the lateral condyle being longer than the medial. In all but one metatarsal bone (98.8%), the lateral condyle was longer than the medial. In the metacarpal bones, the lateral condyle was longer in only 52.4% of the bones, in 21.2%, they had the same length and in 27.4% the medial condyle was longer. These intrinsic anatomical differences can help distinguish between the left and right metacarpal and metatarsal bones, for instance, in anatomical and archaeological studies. Knowledge of these differences might be useful for studies on digit function and on the possible predisposition of cattle to claw diseases in the lateral claws of the hind limbs. [source]


A new experimental inbred Wistar rat varicocele model: anatomy of the left spermatic vein and the effect on histology

ANDROLOGIA, Issue 1 2008
Y. Zhang
Summary Because of venous anatomical differences between rats and humans and the personal interpretation of these differences, there is neither consistent animal prototype nor consistent results in the study of varicocele. We established a new substrain of Wistar inbred rats, of which the left testis vein has no significant branches to the common iliac vein up pampiniform plexus, but instead enters the left renal vein directly (similar to humans) and used them to create experimental varicocele model by partial ligation of the left renal vein. One month later, the predominant lesion of the left testis in induced group was spermatogenic arrest at the spermatid and preliminary spermatocyte phases, and considerable interstitial and Sertoli cell vacuolation. The right testis also showed spermatogenic arrest. Most important, the characteristics of the lesions differed in both testes, with the left testis having more severe lesions. Allowing for the unique anatomy of the left spermatic vein, the standard of the surgical procedure, the high rate of varicocele induction, and identical histological alteration as occurs in humans, we believe that this inbred Wistar rat substrain is suitable for the creation of an experimental varicocele model, which has promise for practical application in humans. [source]


Comparative anatomy and systematics of Catasetinae (Orchidaceae)

BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 2 2001
WILLIAM LOUIS STERN FLS
Catasetinae consist of five genera of pseudobulbous Orchidaceae of the Neotropics. Anatomy is characterized by sunken, three-celled foliar hairs, mostly tetracytic stomatal apparatuses, superficial stomata, homogeneous mesophyll, foliar fibre bundles, collateral vascular bundles in a single row, xylem and phloem sclerenchyma associated with vascular bundles in leaves, conical, and rough-surfaced silica bodies adjacent to vascular bundle sclerenchyma; epidermal cells of pseudobulbs with heavily thickened outer walls, pseudobulb ground tissue of assimilatory and water-storage cells, scattered vascular bundles in pseudobulbs, and sclerenchyma and stegmata associated only with phloem of pseudobulbs; roots with thin-walled velamen cells and tenuous spirals of cell wall material, distinctive epivelamen cells, thin-walled exodermal cells and vascular tissue embedded in parenchyma. Except for mucilaginous idioblasts that occur in Mormodes and Cycnoches, there are few outstanding anatomical differences among the five genera. Thus, there are few anatomical characteristics of phylogenetic value. The monophyly of Catasetinae is supported by the presence of sunken foliar hairs. Our results support a close relationship between Clowesia and Catasetum, and between Mormodes and Cycnoches. Among the outgroups Pteroglossaspis is especially distinctive. [source]


Noninvasive bioengineering assessment of the skin barrier function in patients with chronic venous insufficiency

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2010
I. Angelova-Fischer
Summary Background Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) comprises all symptoms caused by permanent venous and capillary hypertension. While the clinical manifestations of the disease have been well characterized, there is little knowledge on the skin barrier function in the affected patients. Objectives The aim of the study was to assess noninvasively the barrier function in patients with CVI stage C2 and stage C4 according to the CEAP classification in comparison with healthy controls (stage C0). Methods Thirty patients with CVI without concomitant diseases and 15 healthy, aged-matched controls were recruited for the study. The skin barrier function was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), capacitance and skin colour symmetrically on the calf, medial and lateral malleolus, posterior arch (arcus venosus) and volar forearm. Results Compared with the forearm, there was a tendency for increased TEWL and significant reduction of capacitance on all measurement sites on the lower limb. Compared with the control group, the patients with CVI had significantly higher TEWL values on all measurement sites on the lower extremities while no difference in capacitance between patients and controls was observed. Conclusions Changes in the epidermal barrier function in patients with CVI are readily detectable by bioengineering methods as early as stage C2 and are manifested by significantly increased TEWL. Our results suggest that the reduced stratum corneum hydration in patients with CVI is due to anatomical differences rather than venous disease. These findings may help better understand the factors contributing to disease progression and its complications. [source]


No structural cerebral differences between children with a history of bacterial meningitis and healthy siblings

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 10 2008
Rogier CJ De Jonge
Abstract Aim: After bacterial meningitis, about one-third of children develops academic and/or behavioural limitations. The aim of our study was to search for structural differences in the brain, with a special focus on the hippocampus, between childhood survivors of bacterial meningitis with and without academic and/or behavioural limitations and healthy siblings. Patients and methods: A selection of a cohort, compiled in an earlier performed retrospective study, was used in this case-control study. Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans of the brain were performed in 43 post-meningitis children, of whom 18 had learning and/or behavioural limitations and 25 had no problems, and 18 controls. Voxel-based morphometry investigated the brain for structural changes. Hippocampal volume and lateral ventricle width were measured. Results: No structural differences between the groups, in any area of the brain, were found. There were no significant differences in hippocampal volume or lateral ventricle width. The group with limitations had three children with a right hippocampal volume smaller than two standard deviations below the mean of the control group. Conclusion: Despite hippocampus lesions found in experimental studies, we found no anatomical differences of the brain or hippocampus related to bacterial meningitis in children, nor to the academic and/or behavioural limitations seen after bacterial meningitis. [source]