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Prediction of bone adaptation in the ulnar-osteotomized sheep's forelimb using an anatomical finite element model.

A method for the prediction of the time-course of bone adaptation based on an alternative hypothesis of strength optimization has been previously investigated and developed by Prendergast and Taylor. This paper extends our work in the study of the effectiveness of this bone adaptation model in predicting similar bone remodelling to that observed in animal experiments. In particular the experimental work which has been modelled is that of Lanyon, Goodship, Pye and McFie. An anatomical finite element model of the sheep's forelimb has been generated for this purpose and is used to estimate stresses in the bone structure for the normal and osteotomized condition. The propensity for remodelling of the altered bone structure is predicted using the proposed remodelling law for the new stress field in the bone structure. The preliminary results indicate an initial bone adaptation pattern similar to that observed experimentally without the necessity to use arbitrarily different constants for the endosteal and periosteal surfaces. We therefore suggest that the remodelling law based on damage and repair gives a better predictive model of bone adaptation than previous models.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Teratological evaluation of the phenoxyacid herbicide MCPA in the regenerating forelimb of the adult newt.

The effects of a commercial formulation of the phenoxyacid herbicide 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid sodium salt (MCPA) on the regenerating forelimb of the adult crested newt were studied. The animals were exposed percutaneously to 0, 200, 400, or 800 ppm of MCPA for 4 days a week throughout the regeneration period and were sacrificed 11 weeks after amputation. The concentrations tested did not cause histologically detectable toxic lesions of the examined organs. Exposure to MCPA resulted in a significant retardation of the morphogenetic process as evidenced by skeletal examination. At the highest concentration tested, a significant growth delay was also evident during the regeneration period. No significant differences in the frequency of skeletal malformations were observed between control and treated newts, although the frequency was higher in the latter.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗

Spatial organization of the peripheral input to area 1 cell columns. II. The forelimb representation achieved by a mosaic of segregates.

The view (advanced in the previous paper) that the topographic organization in the forelimb region of area 1 of Macaca fascicularis monkeys should be regarded as a mosaic of discrete units--segregates--is evaluated. It is found that in all cortical layers the RFs sampled within a single segregate possess a wide variety of sizes and configurations, and occupy a wide variety of positions on the skin relative to the segregate RF center (the latter is a small skin area common to RFs of all neurons in the segregate). This within-segregate RF variability is structured so that the position of RFs of neurons sampled from different sectors of a segregate exhibits little, if any, systematic shift. The skin area that provides sensory input to any given area 1 segregate (estimated by the aggregate of the RFs sampled from that segregate) is extensive. This 'segregate RF', however, is not homogenous: i.e. central regions of the segregate RF are included in the RFs of a higher fraction of the neurons in the segregate than are peripheral regions. Segregate RFs appear particularly extensive when their size is compared with a relatively small shift in skin position that takes place when one shifts from one segregate to the next. Consequently, the skin areas that provide the sensory inputs to neighboring segregates overlap to a very large degree; and even fairly remote segregates in area 1 can receive a substantial common input. The arrangement of segregate RFs in area 1 is, in general, somatotopic. Nevertheless, the local relationships that are obtained among different segregates can deviate significantly from a strictly somatotopic pattern. The area 1 topographic organization detected in this study appears to differ substantially from that described by other investigators. A more detailed analysis suggests that most of the major differences between this and the previous descriptions of area 1 organization may largely be attributable to the different experimental conditions employed, and that the results of this study and those described by workers using different mapping methods are, in fact, generally compatible. Finally, it is suggested that the mosaic pattern of the topographic organization detected in area 1 may reflect the bundled nature of its afferent input.

Animals↗

Somatosensory evoked potentials in man: differentiation of spinal pathways responsible for conduction from the forelimb vs hindlimb.

This review suggests that a previously unrecognized spinal cord pathway may be of major importance in the conduction of the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) from the lower limb in Man. The nerve fiber type activated by a "typical" peripheral nerve stimulus used in studying the SEP will activate the posterior tibial nerve or median nerve predominantly at group I threshold. Group I fibers subserve limb proprioception. Therefore the spinal cord pathways subserving limb position sense will be the same pathways activated by a peripheral nerve stimulus used to evoke an SEP. A relatively newly recognized pathway involved with limb position sense from the lower limb is located in the dorsal portion of the lateral funiculus of the spinal cord whereas pathways subserving limb position sense in forelimb involve predominantly the dorsal column pathways. It is suggested that the dorsal columns play no major role in limb position sense from the lower limb in Man and therefore, the dorsal columns play no major role in the conduction of activity from the lower limb involved with the generation of an SEP.

Afferent Pathways↗

Neurotrophic influence on proliferation-differentiation decisions during amphibian forelimb regeneration: an hypothesis.

Amphibian forelimb regeneration is under neural influence. Although the precise role of nerves is unknown, clear influence on macromolecular synthesis and on mitosis have been demonstrated. The hypothesis presented here proposes that neural input is directed primarily at influencing the decision of blastemal cells either to proliferate or to prepare to express differentiated phenotypes. This is considered to be accomplished by an interplay between the catecholamine neurotransmitters and neurotrophic peptides using cyclic nucleotides (cAMP) and Ca2+, respectively, as intracellular mediators. This coordination of proliferation-differentiation decisions in regenerating limbs is proposed to be primarily, but not exclusively, the function of nerves.

Amphibians↗

The effects of lateralized training on spontaneous forelimb preference, lesion deficits, and graft-mediated functional recovery after unilateral striatal lesions in rats.

The ability of striatal embryonic grafts to promote functional recovery on complex behavioral tasks depends on various factors, including the amount of striatal-like tissue within the grafts and the duration of post-graft training. However, how the innate paw bias of animals is affected by experience, or influences recovery following injury, is less known. Here, we have examined the effects of intrinsic side bias and lateralized limb use training on spontaneous forelimb preference and graft-mediated functional recovery in a skilled reaching task in a rodent model of Huntington's disease. Naïve rats were assessed on their baseline paw preferences when reaching between the bars of their cage to retrieve sugar pellets from a tray attached outside. Next, rats were lesioned unilaterally in the lateral dorsal striatum with quinolinic acid, and 7-10 days later, half of the animals were given suspension grafts prepared from E15 whole ganglionic eminence implanted into the lesioned striatum. The animals then received extensive unilateral training, either ipsi- or contralateral to the side of the lesion and graft in separate subgroups, on the 'staircase' task until asymptotic performance was obtained. As reported previously, the grafts alleviated lesion-induced deficits in retrieving pellets from the contralateral staircase. Spontaneous biases were then reassessed in the cage-reaching task. Irrespective of whether the animal received ipsilateral or contralateral staircase training, the unilateral lesions induced a significant shift in spontaneous bias towards the ipsilateral paw. Grafted animals showed a similar shift in bias if staircase training was given to the ipsilateral paw but showed no change in spontaneous bias (similar to controls) if they had received contralateral training during the post-transplantation period. The results suggest that striatal grafts can alleviate lesion-induced changes in their spontaneous side preferences, but only if they receive extensive training in the use of the contralateral limb, compatible with the notion that recovery is use-dependent.

Animals↗

Associated cranial and forelimb remains attributed to Australopithecus afarensis from Hadar, Ethiopia.

A partial skeleton from Hadar, Ethiopia (A.L. 438-1) attributed to Australopithecus afarensis is comprised of part of the mandible, a frontal bone fragment, a complete left ulna, two second metacarpals, one third metacarpal, plus parts of the clavicle, humerus, radius, and right ulna. It is one of only a few early hominin specimens to preserve both cranial and postcranial elements. It also includes the first complete ulna from a large A. afarensis individual, and the first associated metacarpal and forelimb remains. This specimen, dated to approximately 3Ma, is among the geologically youngest A. afarensis fossils and is also one of the largest individuals known. Its ulnar to mandibular proportions are similar to those of the geologically older and much smaller A.L. 288-1, suggesting that body size increased without disproportional enlargement of the mandible. Overall, however, analysis of this large specimen and of the diminutive A.L. 288-1 demonstrates that the functional morphology of the A. afarensis upper limb was similar at all body sizes; there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that more than one hominin species is present at Hadar. Morphologically, all apparent apomorphic traits of the elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand of A.L. 438-1 are shared uniquely with humans. Compared to humans, A.L. 438-1 does have a more curved ulna, although A.L. 288-1 does not, and it appears to have had slightly less well-developed manipulatory capabilities of its hands, although still more derived than in apes. We conclude that selection for effective arboreality in the upper limb of Australopithecus afarensis was weaker than in non-hominins, and that manipulative ability was of greater selective advantage than in extant great apes.

Animals↗

Skilled forelimb reaching for pasta guided by tactile input in the rat as measured by accuracy, spatial adjustments, and force.

Rats are capable of reaching for food with a single forelimb, but since they locate the target of their reach using olfaction, it is unclear how they adjust their limb movement to compensate for errors. Although it is thought that their reaching movement is ballistic and can only be adjusted by trial and error, whether they can use haptic cues to aid in locating and identifying a target has not been examined. The present study addressed this question by allowing rats to reach through a slot for rigidly held pieces of uncooked pasta of varying thickness, which could be oriented vertically or horizontally from different points around the slot and which were attached to a force transducer. The tasks required that animals not only adjust their reach and grasp to the target's location but also identify the target based on its texture. Acquisition curves were made of head orientation, limb transport trajectories, number of attempts per success, paw orientation, breaking direction and force of the grasp. A haptic discrimination test used pasta and similar sized metal rods with different tactile properties as discriminanda. The results indicated that whereas postural orientation and limb transport trajectory were not modified as a function of target orientation, paw orientation and grasp force did vary as a function of the sensory qualities of the target object, and the rats could make a haptic discriminative choice of a target object. The results show that the rat is capable of adjusting paw movements using haptic information, suggesting that somatosensory features of sensorimotor control of limb and paw movements in carnivores and primates are shared by rodents. This commonality points to a conservation of motor control in mammals, explains some of the idiosyncratic features of rat reaching behavior, and confirms that rodents provide a good model for investigating sensorimotor functions.

Animals↗

[First consultation with specialists for a child presenting with forelimb unilateral agenesis. Group for the Study and Research of Limb Agenesis (GERAM)].

After the birth of a child with a forelimb unilateral agenesis, the first consultation is of cardinal importance for the family. It should take place as soon as possible. The major point to be emphasized is that the child, although different, must not be considered as handicapped. If the aesthetic prejudice is evident, the functional incapacity is limited to some specific situations. In practice, the child with or without a prosthesis will have the same autonomy as children of the same age. A first prosthesis is usually proposed at 6 or 7 months of age. The child will wear the prosthesis more or less easily depending mainly upon the family attitude. It is recommended that the family have access to a medical team including a psychologist and an occupational therapist.

Arm↗

Forelimb placing and hopping reflexes in haloperidol- and morphine-treated cataleptic rats.

Although both haloperidol and morphine produce catalepsy, there are fundamental differences in their neurological effects (De Ryck, Schallert, & Teitelbaum, 1980). Haloperidol-treated rats show brisk righting, bracing, and clinging reflexes, effects suggesting that motor subsystems subserving static postural support are dominant over those involved in more phasic locomotor and orienting movements. In contrast, morphine-treated rats show impaired righting, bracing, and clinging, effects suggesting that postural support mechanisms are suppressed. In order to determine whether phasic postural reactions other than righting are also differentially affected by these drugs, forelimb placing and hopping reflexes were evaluated in rats given either haloperidol (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 5 mg/kg) or morphine sulfate (0, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg). Morphine produced a dose-dependent impairment in all tests. In contrast, haloperidol did not impair contact placing to dorsal stimulation of the limb or chin placing. Hopping and contact placing to lateral stimulation of the limb were impaired by haloperidol, perhaps because stimulation induced a competing tendency to brace. These results provide additional evidence that morphine and haloperidol produce functionally different neurological states.

Animals↗

Corrective osteotomy for bilateral forelimb varus deformities in a working dog.

Bilateral varus antebrachial deformity in a 7-month-old working dog was surgically corrected. The deformity was a sequela to premature closure of the distal radial physes after trauma to the forelimbs. Treatment was by ulnectomy and oblique radial osteotomy. Stabilisation of the fractures was maintained by an external fixation device. The treatment was successful and the dog returned to work as a sheep dog.

Journal Article↗

Musculoskeletal responses of 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses to early training. 4. Morphometric, microscopic and biomechanical properties of the digital tendons of the forelimb.

AIM: To determine the weight, volume, density and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the digital flexor tendons, common digital extensor tendon (CDET) and suspensory ligament (SL) of the forelimb of young Thoroughbred horses in early training, and to assess the response to a training programme of known parameters of superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) tissue at mid-metacarpal level. METHODS: The tendons of seven 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses in training were inspected, transected into segments of known length, and compared with those from seven untrained horses matched for age, sex and breed. The weight, volume, density and CSA of each segment, and the crimp angle, histological features, and biomechanical ultimate stress and stiffness of tendon samples from the mid-metacarpal region of the SDFT were determined. RESULTS: There was no macroscopic evidence of swelling or discolouration in any of the tendon segments or cut surfaces. The volumes of SDFT and CDET segments of horses in the trained group were significantly greater than those in the untrained group (p=0.036 and p=0.039, respectively). A greater increase in volume than weight resulted in a lower density in the SDFT but not CDET in trained compared with untrained horses (p=0.038). CSA of these two tendons was significantly greater in the trained group (p=0.002 and 0.036, respectively), the percentage increase being greater in the CDET than the SDFT. The number of tenocytes at four sites in the mid-metacarpal SDFT region was less in trained than untrained horses (p=0.025). There was no histological evidence of inflammation, and no difference in crimp angle between groups. There was no significant between-group difference in stiffness or ultimate stress of tendon strips. CONCLUSIONS: Volume and CSA of the SDFT and CDET were larger in trained than untrained horses. The SDFT was less dense in the trained group. Because no evidence of tendonitis was detected and training appeared to have no significant effect on crimp angle or biomechanical properties of tendon strips, the size and density changes were presumed to be adaptive and induced by the training. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although evident in this in vitro study, the detection of adaptive from initial pathological increase in size of the SDFT is likely to be difficult in vivo.

Journal Article↗

Biomimetic finger control by filtering of distributed forelimb pressures.

A linear filter was developed for decoding finger commands from volitional pressures distributed within the residual forelimb. Filter parameters were based on dynamic pressures recorded from the residual limb within its socket, during specific finger commands. A matrix of signal features was derived from eight-dimensional (8-D) pressure vectors, and its pseudoinverse comprised the filter parameters. Results with amputees showed that the filter could discriminate specific finger flexion commands, suggesting that pressure vector decoding (PVD) can provide them with biomimetic finger control.

Adult↗

Stress protection afforded by a cast on plate fixation of the distal forelimb in the horse in vitro.

Six forelimb specimens from three adult horses had the fetlock joint fused by application of a dorsal plate and by a screw placed in lag fashion through the metacarpus to each proximal sesamoid bone. Five specimens were instrumented on the central dorsal surface of the plate with a single rosette strain gage, and the plate of the sixth specimen was instrumented with four longitudinally oriented single-axis strain gages. The specimens were loaded axially in compression to 4,000 N in a cast (test 1), in a cast with a heel block (test 2), and uncast (test 3). The principal angle of strain in all specimens, in all tests, closely approximated the vertical axis at loads < 1,000 N. The principal angle in uncast specimens was significantly different at loads > 1,000 N than the cast specimens (P < .05). At loads > 3,000 N, the principal angle in test 3 closely approximated the horizontal axis, indicating a change from tension to compression on the dorsal surface of the plate, whereas the principal angle of the cast specimens was unchanged. Specimens in a cast (tests 1 and 2) suffered less surface deformation than did uncast specimens (test 3). Therefore, the cast changed the direction and extent of bending at the point of fixation, and thereby decreased the deformation of the plate. This effect would lead to greater fatigue life of the implant in the cast specimens compared with the uncast specimens.

Animals↗

Short-latency projections to the cat's cerebral cortex from skin and muscle afferents in the contralateral forelimb.

1. The potentials evoked in the first sensorimotor area on stimulation of muscle and skin nerves in the contralateral forelimb were recorded in preparations with either the dorsal funiculus (DF) or the spinocervical tract (SCT) interrupted.2. The short-latency, surface-positive potentials in these preparations are mediated by the remaining path, either the DF or SCT.3. Cutaneous afferents project through both paths to two discrete areas which correspond to the classical sensory and motor cortices (Fig. 10 A and B). The projection areas are not identical: the DF path seems to activate most effectively the sensory cortex; and the SCT path, most effectively the motor cortex.4. The potentials evoked from cutaneous nerves have a similar latency in the two areas. On stimulation of the superficial radial nerve the latency was about 4.5 msec in preparations with intact DF, and about 5.3 msec in preparations with intact SCT.5. High threshold muscle afferents project to the same areas as the cutaneous afferents.6. Group I muscle afferents project, exclusively through the DF path, to an area distinct from the two cutaneous projection areas (Fig. 10C). It occupies a caudal part of the motor cortex and an intermediate zone between the sensory and motor cortices.7. The projection areas are compared with the recent cytoarchitectonic map of Hassler & Muhs-Clement (1964) (Fig. 10D).8. It is suggested that the afferent projections to the motor cortex and the intermediate zone are used in the integration of movements elicited from the cortex. The general similarity in the organization of afferent paths to the motor cortex and the cerebellum is pointed out.

Animals↗

Post-synaptic effects of cortical stimulation on forelimb motoneurones in the baboon.

1. The arm area of the baboon's precentral motor cortex was stimulated by brief surface-anodal pulses, and the post-synaptic potentials elicited in contralateral forelimb motoneurones were studied by intracellular recording.2. Strong cortical stimuli elicited a rapid series of excitatory and, in some cells, inhibitory post-synaptic potentials (EPSPs and IPSPs respectively). Comparisons with the simultaneously recorded response of the pyramidal tract indicated that these post-synaptic potentials were due to a repetitive discharge of fast pyramidal fibres. Thus, the later synaptic events were mostly due to a repetition of the early monosynaptic EPSP and early IPSP respectively.3. Inhibition was seen more often in cells whose monosynaptic EPSP had a small maximal size than in those whose monosynaptic EPSP was larger. The net depolarization produced by a strong cortical stimulus was related to the maximal size of the early monosynaptic EPSP.4. In the Discussion, an interpretation is suggested for previous findings concerning the spinal distribution of late synaptic effects elicited by cortical stimulation.

Action Potentials↗

Afferent-efferent linkages in motor cortex for single forelimb muscles.

1. In locally anesthetized cats, extracellular recordings were made from single neurons in the lateral cruciate gyrus of cerebral cortex. These neurons responded to natural activation of stretch receptors in single, contralateral, forelimb wrist muscles, typically with phasic excitation. Low-velocity stretches, which activate primary endings of muscle spindles, excited one set of neurons at a mean latency of 11 ms; high-velocity stretches, which principally activate Golgi tendon organs and/or secondary spindle endings, excited a second set at 18 ms. The cortical neurons showing threshold responses to low-velocity stretches were found exclusively within restricted columns, 0.5-2.0 mm in diameter, which were spatially separate for each muscle. Neurons exhibiting threshold responses to high-velocity stretches were present in high density within the same columns and were also distributed, although more sparsely, outside the columns. 2. These afferent columns were located in cytoarchitectonic area 4gamma, and were shown by intracortical microstimulation to coincide with the efferent columns for contraction of the same muscle from which in input rose. Discrete afferent columns were also found for single muscles in the peridimple region of sensory cortex (area 3a), spatially separate from the columns in motor cortex. The excitation of the columns in motor cortex by these inputs from muscle was independent of that in sensory cortex. 3. The role of the cerebellum in controlling these feedback systems to motor cortex was investigated by selective cooling of interpositus and dentate nucleus, respectively. Cooling of interpositus markedly reduced transmission in the high-threshold system; cooling of dentate had a similar effect on the low-threshold system. 4. The latency, threshold, and cooling data indicated that the low-threshold system to motor cortex utilizes extracerebellar pathways including medial lemniscus and is facilitated by dentate nucleus. The high-threshold system involves a transcerebellar pathway including interpositus nucleus. Both systems transmit velocity-related information, with each showing different and complementary sensitivity and dynamic range. 5. The results are discussed with reference to the cortical load-compensation mechanism postulated by Phillips (37-38).

Animals↗

Blood cells and their role in regeneration. I. Changes in circulating blood cell counts during forelimb regeneration.

The possible role of leukocytes in regeneration was examined through the evaluation of quantitative changes in circulating blood cell counts during forelimb regeneration in adult newts. Leukocyte counts declined during the first 2 weeks, then returned to preamputational levels. Thrombocytes were also depressed (40-67%) throughout the progressive stages (9-30 days). In addition, lymphocytes were reduced, especially during the preblastemic phase (less than 15 days). In contrast, neutrophils were increased immediately following wound healing and during the differentiation stages, but were otherwise unchanged. These variations appear to reflect physiological changes occurring during regeneration and are consistent with a potential role for leukocytes in regeneration.

Animals↗