RESUMO
This study is designed and planned to apply anatomical knowledge and techniques to the problem imposing on the poor silk producer farmers in Thailand. The farmers have never been able to set the price for their farm products because of several reasons. To sell their silkworm cocoons is absolutely not an exception to this agrobsiness phenomenon. In the annual meeting of the Institute of Sericulture Research held at Tak Agricultural College in 1989, the idea of grading the size of reeler businessmen – the smaller the cheaper price. The problem was again intensified to cause more deterioration on the farmers’ economy, and hence the Thai national economic retardation. The on - going role of the Institute of Sericulture Research as a referee or the price setter (by basing on the weight ratio of the cocoon and the pupa) is considered by many as a fair play. The cocoon size grading will worsen the situation to a greater extent. If we do not take any action ; the situation would be under the superior hands in doing business. The farmers, therefore, are exploited as always. By using the Scanning Electron Microscopic Anatomical (SEMAnat) technique, we examined silk fiber mrphology and sizes of the small and large cocoons of the hybrid silkworms promoted by Khon Kaen Sericulture Experiment Station in October 1990. We have found that the fiber sizes of the cocoons of different sizes are not significantly different at 500 times magnification . The size would be dfinitely the same by the naked eyes. We, therefore, concluded that as we all know one cocoon is made up of only one single fiber of upto 1500 meters long, the smaller cocoon is made up of one shorter fiber that will proportionally less than the longer fiber. The mass of the silk fiber is governed by the length in this case and all fiber are to join lengthwise together in the weaving. There is no reason to be prejudiced against the smaller cocoon. The cocoon size grading will be justified only when we have proved that the lrger cocoons have advantage in reeling over th small ones -- this is not the case.
RESUMO
The silkglands of the 5th instar larvae of silkworms were dissected under the stereomicroscope. There are 3 parts to the gland : anterior, straight part; middle, loop-shaped part; and the posterior, coiled part. The anterior part of the silkglands were processed through the standard technique for the transmission electron microscope for this study. We found in the columnar cells of this simple tubular gland that it possessed the rough endoplasmic reticulum and a great number of mitochondria. This finding led us to propose that the anterior part of the gland also synthesized proteins. We also disclosed that the respiratory tract (air tubes) sent its terminal branches to the gland cell cytoplasm. This gave proof through our study that both oxygen and harmful things in the air could reach the cytoplasm of silkgland cells quite readily.Key words : silk gland, Bombyx mori, function, ultrastructure.
RESUMO
Surgery of the elbow joints is not uncommon to which several approaches could be made, lateral approach, posterior approach, postero-lateral approach, and medial approach (Anson and McVay, 1971). The detail anatomy of the region is as ever important as the awareness of any of deformity or variation therein. Our experience in Khon Kaen University Medical School dissecting room for 18 years with 288 cadavers supplied us one case of variation in the antecubital fossa. The presence of this superfluous muscle is assessed to interfere with the medial approach of the elbow joint surgery. It was the separate muscle covered with its own fascia and originated from the medial intermuscular septum of the brachium; ran vertically and superficial to the brachial artery and median nerve but deep to the bicipital aponeurosis; and finally joined the pronator teres tendon of insertion. The muscle received branches from the median nerve. We proposed the name “Brachio-pronatus” for this muscle. The name, “Brachial head” of the pronator teres muscle was also suggested by the Society of Anatomy of Thailand member in the 15th Annual Meeting on 22-24 April 1992. Its gross anatomy will be described and we proposed four possibities of its developmental anomaly. Its kinesiological advantage is also discussed.