Macroglossia in Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome Is Attributed to Skeletal Muscle Hyperplasia

Macroglossia is a common feature in patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). The underlying cause of macroglossia in BWS remains unknown, and further histological studies are required to uncover its etiology. We present the case of a 5-year-old girl who was diagnosed with BWS and underwent partial tongue resection for difficulties in articulation and aesthetics. The keyhole-shaped partial resection revealed a harder posterior side than the anterior. Microscopically, the posterior side consisted of dense subepithelial eosinophilic areas composed of an abundance of tightly packed skeletal muscle fibers that were arranged in a fascicular or storiform pattern. BWS-associated macroglossia results from skeletal muscle hyperplasia, consistent with true macroglossia. Therefore, tongue resection may be beneficial for such patients. Further studies are required to develop personalized surgical interventions for each patient with BWS.

Three-Dimensional Identification of the Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus in the Human Brain: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

Background: The medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) interacts with eye movement control circuits involved in the adjustment of horizontal, vertical, and torsional eye movements. In this study, we attempted to identify and investigate the anatomical characteristics of the MLF in human brain, using probabilistic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography. Methods: We recruited 31 normal healthy adults and used a 1.5-T scanner for DTI. To reconstruct MLFs, a seed region of interest (ROI) was placed on the interstitial nucleus of Cajal at the midbrain level. A target ROI was located on the MLF of the medulla in the reticular formation of the medulla. Mean values of fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and tract volumes of MLFs were measured. Results: The component of the MLF originated from the midbrain MLF, descended through the posterior side of the medial lemniscus (ML) and terminated on the MLF of medulla on the posterior side of the ML in the medulla midline. DTI parameters of right and left MLFs were not significantly different. Conclusion: The tract of the MLF in healthy brain was identified by probabilistic DTI tractography. We believe this study will provide basic data and aid future comparative research on lesion or age-induced MLF changes.

A Radiographic Study of Biomechanical Relationship between the Achilles Tendon and Plantar Fascia

Background. Previously, scholars have concluded that the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia were closely biomechanically related, although there is little clinical evidence of the relationship between the two. To investigate the biomechanical relationship between the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia, the author used standing lateral ankle radiographs of patients with insertional Achilles tendonitis to determine the biomechanical relationship between the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia. Methods. The author collected standing lateral ankle radiographs from patients with insertional Achilles tendonitis who accepted surgical treatment in the author’s hospital from March 2009 to July 2018. According to whether there were bone spurs on the posterior side of the calcaneus, patients were divided into group A (spur present on the posterior side) and group B (spur not present on the posterior side). The positive rates of spurs on the plantar side of the calcaneus were determined in group A and group B. The chi-square test was used to compare the measurement results between the two groups. Results. In group A, 13 heels were positive for calcaneal bone spurs, and the positive rate was 65.0%. In group B, 3 heels were positive for plantar calcaneal spurs, and the positive rate was 12%. Among all 16 patients with positive plantar calcaneal spurs, 13 had posterior calcaneal spurs (accounting for 81.3%), and 3 had negative results, accounting for 18.7%. There was a significant difference between the results in groups A and B (P<0.05). Conclusion. There is a relationship between posterior calcaneal spurs and plantar calcaneal spurs in patients with insertional Achilles tendonitis, which can be inferred as resulting from the increasing tension in the biomechanically complex relationship between the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia.

Histomorphometric Analysis of Callus Formation Stimulated by Axial Dynamisation in a Standardised Ovine Osteotomy Model

The cyclic axial dynamisation of a stabilised fracture is intended to promote callus formation and bone healing. Most studies focused on biomechanical properties or the quantity of new bone formation. Far less is known about the quality of newly formed callus tissues, such as tissue distribution and arrangement within the callus. The aim of this current study was to investigate the effect of cyclic, axial dynamisation on the quantity and quality of callus in an established delayed fracture healing model. In 41 sheep transverse osteotomies with a gap size of 3 mm were stabilised with a unilateral external fixator. In 32 of these, fracture ends were axially stimulated with displacement amplitudes of 0.8 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.2 mm, or 0.0 mm, respectively, for six weeks. In the remaining 9 sheep of the control group, an additional external fixator was mounted to achieve almost total rigidity. Animal material originating from a past animal experiment was reanalysed in this study. Histological thin-ground sections were histomorphometrically analysed regarding the histological structure and composition of the defect region. A slight tendency towards an increase in size of total callus area, area of new bone (nB.Ar), and cartilage (Cg.Ar) was detected with increasing displacement amplitudes compared to the control group. At the anterior callus side nB.Ar and Cg.Ar were significantly larger than at the posterior side in all groups independent of treatment. Regarding the quality of callus, areas of very compact bone were predominant in the treatment groups whereas in the control group a slight shift to more porous bone was observed. No difference of callus compactness was observed between the anterior and the posterior side. The established method to assess the local compactness of callus areas is a useful tool to quantitatively determine the spatial distribution of new bone tissue within the callus. The application of this method in combination with biomechanical testing might reveal interesting relations between tissue distribution and bone strength that, with traditional histomorphometry, cannot be identified.

An anterior sauropod caudal from the Peterborough Oxford Clay: Whose tail is it anyway?

The Callovian Oxford Clay of England has yielded a rich and diverse marine fauna, mainly discovered and described by Alfred Leeds. However, occasionally it also brought forth terrestrial fossils, including four isolated cases of sauropod remains, one of a stegosaurid, and another of a dryosaurid. Thus far, only Cetiosaurus oxoniensis and Cetiosauriscus stewarti are confirmed sauropod taxa from these beds. Here, we describe an isolated sauropod anterior caudal vertebra from the Oxford Clay near Peterborough. Incomplete, it has been immersed in seawater post-mortem, indicated by the adhesion of molluscs, but some characters can nevertheless be used for diagnosis and comparisons. The anterior articular surface is round, whereas the posterior articular surface is heart- shaped, as in many eusauropods, including Cetiosaurus. Interestingly, the ventral surface shows a keel-like structure; a character shared with neosauropods (e.g. Barosaurus) but also with an as yet unnamed Middle Jurassic sauropod caudal from York, UK. The posterior side of the neural canal is teardrop-shaped, a character shared with most basal eusauropods. Below the posterior neural canal, a lip-like structure seems to be present; a character which is shared with Cetiosaurus. However, the anterior caudal transverse process (ACTP) complex is similar to, although more pronounced than Cetiosauriscus, being more similar to more derived sauropods (Neosauropoda). Thus, an incomplete isolated element may help elucidate sauropod species diversity and dispersal in the Middle Jurassic of England.

An anterior sauropod caudal from the Peterborough Oxford Clay: Whose tail is it anyway?

The Callovian Oxford Clay of England has yielded a rich and diverse marine fauna, mainly discovered and described by Alfred Leeds. However, occasionally it also brought forth terrestrial fossils, including four isolated cases of sauropod remains, one of a stegosaurid, and another of a dryosaurid. Thus far, only Cetiosaurus oxoniensis and Cetiosauriscus stewarti are confirmed sauropod taxa from these beds. Here, we describe an isolated sauropod anterior caudal vertebra from the Oxford Clay near Peterborough. Incomplete, it has been immersed in seawater post-mortem, indicated by the adhesion of molluscs, but some characters can nevertheless be used for diagnosis and comparisons. The anterior articular surface is round, whereas the posterior articular surface is heart- shaped, as in many eusauropods, including Cetiosaurus. Interestingly, the ventral surface shows a keel-like structure; a character shared with neosauropods (e.g. Barosaurus) but also with an as yet unnamed Middle Jurassic sauropod caudal from York, UK. The posterior side of the neural canal is teardrop-shaped, a character shared with most basal eusauropods. Below the posterior neural canal, a lip-like structure seems to be present; a character which is shared with Cetiosaurus. However, the anterior caudal transverse process (ACTP) complex is similar to, although more pronounced than Cetiosauriscus, being more similar to more derived sauropods (Neosauropoda). Thus, an incomplete isolated element may help elucidate sauropod species diversity and dispersal in the Middle Jurassic of England.

Conspicuous body markings in infant Myotis emarginatus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Pups of Myotis emarginatus exhibit bold markings in their natal coat. They consist of a neck band, a dorsal middle stripe, and a diamond-shaped spot in the distal part of the back. Furthermore, the posterior side of the ears shows a conspicuous pattern. These markings slowly disappear in the course of lactation. Apparently, such temporary body markings in infant bats have not been described yet. Hypotheses concerning this phenomenon are discussed.