Anatomical diversity of inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle - Anatomical, physiological and surgical paradigm.

Omohyoid muscle is one of the infrahyoid muscles of the neck which consists of two bellies combined at an angle by an intermediate tendon. The inferior belly is a flat, narrow band, which inclines forwards and upwards in the lower part of the neck. It generally originates from the upper border of the scapula, medial to scapular notch. The present case showed unilateral anomalous attachment of the inferior belly of the omohyoid on the medial part of clavicle on left side. Inferior belly was 2.2cm lateral to left sternoclavicular joint with 3.2 and 1.5cm in length and breadth, innervated by ansa cervicalis. Only 3% of this type of variation has been observed until now according to previous literature. Anterior and posterior triangles of neck on both sides of the cadaver were dissected during routine dissection for undergraduate teaching. There was no scapular attachment of inferior belly of the omohyoid on the left side. It was directly originating from the upper surface of the medial side of the left clavicle. Variation in the attachment of inferior belly can have a direct impact on the internal jugular vein and brachial plexus during neck surgeries or trauma due to its close relation to the mentioned structures. This variation should also be taken care during infrahyoid myocutaneus flap extraction for reconstruction surgery of tongue in cases of lingual carcinoma.

Origin of triple right coronary with separate ostium.

This report highlights a coronary artery anomaly (CAA) involving three right coronary arteries (RCAs) arising from the anterior aortic sinus and a single left coronary artery (LCA) from the left posterior aortic sinus. Furthermore, each of the three RCAs originated with separate ostia. The 1st RCA was the right conus artery which originated through the anterior ostium. The 2nd RCA from the middle ostium mimicked a typical RCA. The 3rd RCA that originated from the posterior ostium had an initial retro-aortic course and then ran between the ascending aorta and atria. It eventually terminated as the circumflex artery after reaching the left end of the posterior coronary sulcus. The LCA was normal anatomically except that it did not give the circumflex branch. The knowledge of this type of unusual branching pattern of the coronary artery may be useful to clinicians.

Bioremediation: an alternative approach for detoxification of polymers from the contaminated environment.

The industries and metropolitan wastes produced by anthropogenic activities are of great concern for nature as it causes soil contamination and deteriorate the environment. Plastic utilization is rapidly enhancing globally with passing days that last for a more extended period in the environment due to slow decomposition and natural degradation. Excessive use of polymer has risked the life of both marine, freshwater and terrestrial organisms. Lack of proper waste management and inappropriate disposal leads to environmental threats. Bioremediation processes involve microbes such as fungi, bacteria, etc. which contribute a crucial role in the breakdown of plastics. Extremophiles secrete extremozymes that are functionally active in extreme conditions and are highly crucial for polymer disaggregation in those conditions.

Yoga: A Natural Solution to Decrease Disease Burden in Children of MTHFR Deficient Parents.

Introduction: MTHFR being a key regulatory enzyme of 1-carbon metabolism pathway serves critical function of generation of SAM, replenishment of glutathione and nucleotide synthesis and finally methylation of the bio molecules. MTHFR gene mutation is a rare au-tosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism and presents with severe hyperhomocysteinemia. MTHFR polymorphisms on the other hand are commonly encountered of which two 677 C>T and 1298 A>C have been most widely studied and reported to increase the vulnerability to neural tube defects, congenital heart disease, various neuropsychiatric disorders like autism spectrum diseases and attention deficit hyperactiv-ity disease, cleft lip/ palate, acute leukaemia, cardiovascular diseases, occlusive vascular disease in children. Methods: We conducted this prospective clinical trial to examine whether yoga practice can up regulate MTHFR gene expression. Considering the prevalence of MTHFR polymorphism, varied spectrum of its implications in disease causation including male infertility, we conducted the trial involving 30 infertile men who underwent 3 weeks of supervised YBLI. Pre and post intervention assessment of the blood and semen sample was done to see the effects. Results: We have found more than fivefold up-regulation in the expression of MTHFR gene with significant reduction of seminal free radical levels after 3 weeks of yoga practice. Interestingly we noticed significantly higher MTHFR polymorphic variants in infertile male patients compared to healthy fertile controls. Conclusion: MTHFR polymorphisms are also independently associated with many paediatric diseases. Diagnosing MTHFR deficiency in children is a challenging job and requires high index of suspicion and continuous vigilance. Yoga based lifestyle may be adopted both by parents planning conception and also by adolescent children who are sufferers of this condition to halt the consequences of mild to moderate MTHFR deficiency.

Bilateral Bifid Tendon of Palmaris Longus - Advantageous in Tendon Transfer?

Background: Variable insertions of Palmaris longus (PL) muscle tendon is described by various authors. Presence of extra PL tendon is also described in literature. As autologus tendon grafting is a blooming arena of clinical research at present time, an additional tendinous slip of PL has promising scope for use as an autograft. Case Report: We report here bilateral bitendinous distal attachment of PL muscle encountered during routine cadaveric dissection. The additional PL tendon in a multitendinous insertion pattern with optimum length and thickness is indeed an additional advantage from the point of view of autograft harvesting. This has also importance in understanding the unusual, altered symptomatology in compressive conditions. Conclusion: Although relatively common, surgeons should be well aware of the various possible aversion of distal attachment of PL which might have significant impact in alteration of symptomatology of neurovascular compressions in the forearm and hand and while choosing an appropriate tendon autograft.

Clinical Relevance of Sternal Foramina: A Morphometric Study.

Objectives: The present study aimed at determining the incidence of sternal foramina in adult dry bones of North Indian descent. We also aimed to determine the number, precise location of the sternal foramina with a standard reference point which might have considerable importance with regard to procedures involving sternal puncture. Methods: This cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on 72 dry adult human sternums. Various measurements in relation to the sternal foramina were taken with a non-stretchable measuring tape and digital vernier calliper and expressed as: [A]-total sternal length, [B]-distance between the jugular notches to the foramen, [C]-distance between the angle of Louis to the foramen and [D]-distance of the foramen from the mid sternal plane. Statistical analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel version 2019. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: We found 6.94% (5 out of 72 sternums) incidence of sternal foramina which corroborates well with the existing literature. Mean sternal length was 127.7 ± 09 mm. The mean distance of the foramina from suprasternal notch, sternal angle and from the median plane were 118.12 ± 0.3 mm, 116.7 mm and 2.4 mm respectively. Incidence of sternal foramina was almost similar to previously reported studies. Conclusions: The precise knowledge about the expected location of sternal foramina is imperative to avoid intra-thoracic visceral injury during commonly performed acupuncture needle insertion and while doing bone marrow aspiration for diagnostic evaluation.

Clinical Relevance of Nutrient Foramina of Fibula: A Morphometric Study.

Background: The fibula is a long bone located at the lateral aspect of the leg. Diaphysis of fibula is supplied by one or more nutrient arteries through an opening referred to as the nutrient foramen. Mor-phometric studies of the nutrient foramina of fibulae are very sparse in literature. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 51 dry adult human fibulae housed in the department of anatomy, AIIMS, New Delhi. Total fibular length along with the number and location of all nutrient foramina present were recorded. Foraminal indexes (FI) of the fibulae were calculated as well. Results: The study revealed that the average length of fibulae was 35.48 ± 1.76 cm. 94% fibulae had a single nutrient foramen and 6 % had two. In fibula with single foramen, the most common location was on the medial crest (50%), followed by between medial crest and posterior border (35%), between the medial crest and interosseous border (8%) and on posterior border (6%). Nutrient foramen was located in middle 1/3rd of shaft in 98 % and in inferior 1/3rd of shaft in 2 % of fibulae. The average foraminal index was 44.85 ± 6.67% with a range of 35.7 to 63.8%. Conclusion: Most common location of nutrient foramen in fibula is middle 1/3rd of shaft on the medial crest with dual nutrient foramina in 6% of fibulae. These parameters show variability in different geographical location and population groups. These data may be helpful for anthropologists, forensic experts, radiologists and might guide in harvesting vascularised fibular bone graft.

Complete Ossification of Transverse Acetabular Ligament - Embryological and Clinical Perspective.

Abstract: Transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) is one of the important ligaments, which provide stability to the hip joint. On rare occasions, it can get ossified leading to limited mobility of the hip joint. Ossified TAL also converts acetabular notch to a foramen and neurovascular structures passing through the notch can get compressed leading to ischaemic symptoms. During routine demonstration of hip bone to undergraduate students, complete ossification of TAL was found in a right sided hip bone. Present case report with this rare finding also includes a short review of literature impressing on embryological and clinical perspectives of ossified TAL. Ossification of this ligament can be caused by defective ossification of hip bone as three secondary ossification centres develop around the acetabulum in triradiate carti-lage. Also, this can be caused due to heterotopic ossification of TAL after an inflammatory or traumatic injury. This ligament is extremely important in total hip replacement surgery being utilised in determining the position of the acetabular component. Anatomical knowledge of abnormal ossification of TAL is imperative in diagnosis and treatment of various pathologies of the hip joint.

An Atypical Case of Meckel's Diverticulum with Small Bowel Obstruction: Surgical Anatomy, Embryology and Clinical Implications.

Abstract: Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the most frequent congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Atypical presentations with life threatening complications include intestinal obstruction, intussusceptions, peritonitis, foreign body lodgement in the MD, perforated viscera etc. which require prompt diagnosis. Ectopic gastric and pancreatic tissues are found in up to half of the cases which can escalate the complications. However clinical diagnosis is not easy especially when the presentation is atypical. A high index of clinical suspicion is required to diagnose elusive MD with associated complications. Surgical resection is safe and the gold standard treatment for complicated MD. A case of Meckel's diverticulum with concomitant mesodiverticular band (MDB) in a 13 years old male child presented as intestinal obstruction to emergency department is described which was promptly managed surgically with required pre-operative investigations. The aim of this report is to make clinicians aware about a complicated MD with MDB clinically presenting as small bowel obstruction.

Ossification of Superior Transverse Scapular Ligament - Incidence, Embryology and Association with Suprascapular Neuropathy.

Introduction: Suprascapular notch is present at superior border of scapula just medial to coracoid process. This is covered by superior transverse scapular ligament (STSL). Suprascapular nerve passes below this ligament while suprascapular vessels pass above it. STSL ossification is a rare finding with variable incidences in different population groups. Materials and Methods: We observed 60 dry bony scapulae, 30 prosected formalin fixed upper limbs with scapula and 10 embalmed cadavers for the presence of ossified STSL. Results: There were complete ossification of STSL in two dried bony specimens of sacpula. Conclusion: Ossified STSL may be the causative factor for suprascapular neuropathy. The mainstay of management in cases of neuropathy or compression of suprascapular nerve is release of suprascapular ligament by either open or arthroscopic surgical approach. So, it is extremely important to know this type of variation to minimize any damage to related structure and plan the management accordingly.

Construction of a single-transposon-insertion mutant in Rhizobium sp. strain TAL1145 from a double-insertion mutant.

A method for developing a single-transposon-insertion mutant from a double-insertion mutant in Rhizobium is described. An exopolysaccharide (EPS)-defective mutant containing two Tn5-lacZ insertions was complemented with cloned wild-type DNA for EPS synthesis. One of the Tn5-lacZ insertions from the mutant was transferred to the complementing plasmid by homologous recombination. The plasmid containing the Tn5-lacZ insertion in the gene involved in EPS synthesis was transferred into the wild-type strain and the Tn5-lacZ was homogenized to obtain an EPS-defective mutant with a single Tn5-lacZ insertion.

Nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the 33 kDa water oxidizing polypeptide in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 and its expression in Escherichia coli.

The 33 kDa extrinsic polypeptide of photosystem II, also known as the manganese-stabilizing polypeptide (MSP), is located on the lumen side of the thylakoid and is involved in water oxidation. The gene for MSP, designated woxA, has been cloned from the nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena and sequenced. The woxA open reading frame was found to be 819 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence was 63% and 59% homologous with that of Synechococcus and Synechocystis, respectively, and 44% conserved when compared to the MSP of spinach or pea. Two cysteine residues at positions 48 and 73 were found to be conserved in cyanobacteria and plants. The first 29 amino acids are hydrophobic and may represent the transit peptide. woxA: :phoA translational fusion products, in which the body of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase was fused to the amino terminal portion of woxA between residues 35 and 130, yielded active alkaline phosphatase in E. coli. Thus the transit peptide of woxA functions in E. coli to transport phosphatase across the cytoplasmic membrane. S1 mapping and primer extension experiments showed that the woxA transcription initiation site is located 220 bp upstream from the translational start. The woxA promoter has some resemblance to the E. coli consensus and other known Anabaena vegetative cell promoters.

Tn5 mutagenesis of Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120: isolation of a new mutant unable to grow without combined nitrogen.

Methylation by Ava methylases in Escherichia coli increases the efficiency to transfer of Tn5 in pBR322bla:: Tn5 from E. coli to Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 by conjugation. Following conjugation, Tn5 but not pBR322 sequences were found at many different positions in the Anabaena chromosome. This procedure was used to mutagenize, tag, and clone a previously unrecognized gene required for nitrogen fixation in this Anabaena sp.

A 150-megadalton plasmid in Rhizobium etli strain TAL182 contains genes for nodulation competitiveness on Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Rhizobium etli TAL182, a competitive strain for the nodulation of Phaseolus beans, occupied more than 99% of the nodules when co-inoculated in various proportions with Rhizobium TAL1145 or Rhizobium tropici CIAT899. Two overlapping cosmid clones, pUHR68 and pUHR69, containing genes for nodulation competitiveness from TAL182, were isolated by functional complementation of strain TAL1145. Using one of these cosmid clones, we constructed two Tn5-insertion mutants of TAL182 defective in nodulation competitiveness. The Tn5 insertions in both mutants were localized in identical positions within a 4.6-kb HindIII fragment. One mutant, RUH120, was complemented for nodulation competitiveness by this HindIII fragment. The cloned DNA in pUHR68 is a part of a plasmid, 150 MDa in size, in TAL182 and does not show homology with TAL1145 genomic DNA. The 4.6-kb HindIII fragment contains a gene(s) required for nodulation competitiveness on beans, which is present only in some R. etli strains and absent in other Rhizobium spp.

Discrete differences between strains of different Rhizobium spp. for competitive nodule occupancy on beans.

Rhizobium etli strain TAL182 and R. leguminosarum bv phaseoli strain 8002, both of which produce melanin pigment, were tested for their nodulation competitiveness on beans by paired inoculation with two strains which do not produce melanin: R. tropici strain CIAT899 and Rhizobium sp. strain TAL1145. An assay was developed to distinguish nodules formed by the melanin-producing and non-producing strains. Strain TAL182 had discrete competitive superiority over CIAT899 and TAL1145 for nodulation of beans. Nodulation competitiveness was not correlated with the ability to produce melanin pigment or the host range of the Rhizobium strains tested.

Improved rate of callus induction from rice anther culture following microscopic staging of microspores in iron alum-haematoxylin.

High frequencies of callusing were obtained in indica rice from the microspores which were staged in acetic acid iron alum-haematoxylin stain prior to culture on G5 medium. Two local varieties, 'Khonorullo' and 'Namyi', and two advance pre-release cultures, 'PK 1-1-3' and 'PK 12-22', were used in this investigation. All the cultures exhibited a wide adaptation to varying medium; however, the frequency of callusing was highest (45.5%) in 'PK 1-1-3' followed by 'PK 12-22' (32.4%) and 'Khonorullo' (31.6%). Cold shock (10 °C) for 11 days enhanced the frequency of callusing by 200% in 'Khonorullo'.

Sequence of psi, a gene on the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium phaseoli which inhibits exopolysaccharide synthesis and nodulation and demonstration that its transcription is inhibited by psr, another gene on the symbiotic plasmid.

A gene termed psi (polysaccharide inhibition), located close to the nodulation genes of the Rhizobium phaseoli symbiotic plasmid pRP2JI inhibited exopolysaccharide synthesis (EPS) and nodulation ability (Nod) in Rhizobium when it was cloned in a multicopy plasmid. The sequence of psi showed that it specified a polypeptide of mol. wt. 10,000 that may be associated with the membrane of Rhizobium. A second gene, psr (polysaccharide restoration), was located on pRP2JI. When cloned in multicopy plasmids, psr overcame the EPS and Nod defects in strains carrying multicopy psi. Strains with multicopy psr induced non-fixing nodules on Phaseolus beans. Using gene fusions between psi and lacZ, it was found that psr [corrected] inhibited transcription of psi [corrected].

Selection of several classes of mimosine-degradation-defective Tn3Hogus-insertion mutants of Rhizobium sp. strain TAL1145 on the basis of mimosine-inducible GUS activity.

Rhizobium sp. strain TAL1145 that nodulates Leucaena leucocephala degrades mimosine, a toxin produced by this tree legume. A cosmid clone, pUHR263, containing approximately 25 kb cloned DNA was isolated by plating Escherichia coli cells containing the cosmid clone library of TAL1145 on a minimal medium in which 3-hydroxy-4-pyridone (HP), a degradation product of mimosine, was used as the source of nitrogen. Cosmid pUHR263 was mutagenized by random insertions of Tn3Hogus, a transposon that makes transcriptional gus fusions when it is inserted in a gene in the correct orientation. Various pUHR263::Tn3Hogus derivatives that showed mimosine-inducible or mimosine-repressible GUS activities when transferred to the Rhizobium sp. strain TAL1145 were selected. Mutants of TAL1145 were constructed by transferring these Tn3Hogus insertions into the TAL1145 chromosome through double-homologous recombination. These mutants were classified into five classes on the basis of defects in mimosine degradation. The growth of these mutants was inhibited to different extents by mimosine applied to the growth medium. Mimosine forms a red-colored Fe-mimosine complex when FeCI3 is added to the medium. The inhibitory effect of Fe-mimosine on growth of the mutants was much less than that of mimosine.

Diversity among Bradyrhizobium isolates nodulating yardlong bean and sunnhemp in Guam.

AIMS: To isolate and characterize bradyrhizobia that nodulate yardlong bean and sunnhemp in Guam. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bradyrhizobia populations that nodulate yardlong bean and sunnhemp in Guam were examined for genetic diversity and their relatedness to Bradyrhizobium japonicum and B. elkanii reference strains. Genomic DNA of 58 isolates of Bradyrhizobium spp. was hybridized with B. japonicum nodY and B. elkanii nodK genes. Based on the hybridization patterns, the isolates were classified into three nodY-nodK hybridizing groups. Group I comprised the majority of the isolates and hybridized with nodY whereas group II isolates hybridized with nodK. The group III isolates, that did not hybridize with either nodY or nodK, formed nitrogen-fixing nodules on cowpea but did not nodulate soybean. DNA sequence analysis of a 280-bp fragment of the variable region of the 16S rRNA gene of a few group III isolates showed that these isolates were more similar to Bradyrhizobium spp. than to B. japonicum or B. elkanii. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the isolates nodulating yardlong bean and sunnhemp in Guam are similar to B. japonicum, although some isolates are similar to Bradyrhizobium spp. that nodulate a miscellaneous group of legumes including cowpea. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Since both yardlong bean and sunnhemp are nodulated by a range of bradyrhizobia, selection of superior strains may be based on nodulation effectiveness on both legumes.