A South African case study on anatomical embalming for human body donation programmes with toxicological considerations.

Body embalming, a practice with deep historical roots across various cultures, forms the backbone of contemporary human body donation educational programmes. In this study, we explored current embalming practices within six South African human anatomical dissection programmes, focusing on the use and volumes of key chemicals-formalin, phenol, and alcohol-and their associated health risks and potential toxicity. We measured and compared aspects of embalming practices such as the duration of body preservation and the annual intake of bodies. Variations in embalming practices and chemical ratios across different South African universities were found. However, the consistent use of formalin, phenol and alcohol were observed across all six programmes. Formaldehyde concentrations used in South African dissection programmes were within the generally acceptable international range. Regarding arterial embalming, South African dissection programmes showed widespread adherence to international embalming practices, with one programme using a substantially lower concentration of formalin. The dual nature of formaldehyde as both an effective preservative and a recognised carcinogen was underscored in relation to human health regarding chemical toxicity. Phenol, like formaldehyde, was consistently used as it is important for the inhibition of bacterial and fungal growth. Alcohol was also consistently used, but there was much greater variation in its volume across South African institutions. Our data showed a slight positive relationship between storage duration and the volumes of formalin and phenol in human embalming fluid. South African regulators enforce stricter exposure limits than those set by the World Health Organisation and various European agencies. While South African institutions operate within internationally acceptable ranges of chemical use that both maximise preservation and minimise toxicity, we acknowledge that these data are preliminary. Further investigation is encouraged to ensure embalming practices effectively protect all those involved and support the educational goals of human anatomical dissection programmes in South Africa.

Morphometric and histopathological evaluation of modified Elnady's plastinated tissue compared to non-plastinated tissue: Highlighting its relevance for teaching and research.

The present study aims to evaluate the morphometric and histopathological properties of Modified Elnady's plastinated tissue after a period compared to non-plastinated tissue. The plastination technique is utilized in research and teaching due to the potential health risks associated with prolonged exposure to formalin. The tissues and organs are permanently dried during plastination and can be used for further anatomical, histopathological and surgical educational purposes. This method involves drying tissue and allowing synthetic materials like glycerin to permeate it. The study compared non-plastinated and plastinated tissue post-plastination to determine if structural alterations differed from those linked to plastination. The study examined the histopathological examination of dogs' skin, muscles, liver, lung, and intestine using formalin-fixed organs for paraffin embedding and previously plastinated organs for a plastinated group. The study examined non-plastinated and plastinated tissues, their histological composition and biometric parameters revealing typical structures in the non-plastinated group. Plasmodiumted tissues exhibited a compacted appearance, volume changes, nuclear clarity, and cytoplasmic hypereosinophilia, with statistical differences between the two groups. The study reveals that plastinated tissues, after 5 years of plastination, maintain their histological architecture well, with some exceptions. Plastinated tissues can be utilized in future microscopic and immunological studies and will be beneficial for teaching and research.

Evaluation of Elnady preserved tissues as a teaching aid for undergraduate animal science courses.

The use of tissue specimens for undergraduate instruction is a very valuable tool. However, fresh tissue specimens are not always available and many common preservation techniques can result in discoloration, offensive odors, and/or dangerous chemical residues. The Elnady Technique was developed as a means to produce tissue specimens that "are realistic, durable, have no offensive odor, and are dry, soft and flexible" (Elnady, F.A. 2016 The Elnady Technique: An innovative, new method for tissue preservation. Altex. 33:237-242. doi:10.14573/altex.1511091). Briefly for soft tissue, specimens were preserved by fixing in formalin. The tissue specimen was then dehydrated with a series of acetone baths. Once the tissue was fully dehydrated, the specimen was impregnated in glycerin. Excess glycerin was then removed by draining followed by immersion in cornstarch. Cornstarch residue was removed with a soft brush, and the specimen was stored in a plastic bag. Multiple specimens (including the female reproductive tract of the cat, goat, horse, and sow; digestive tract of cat, chicken, and dog; 1-day-old lamb stomach; goat rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum; and sheep heart and kidney) have been preserved and used in various animal science course laboratories (126 laboratory sections and 1,696 students at Berry College). Some of the specimens have been in use for seven years and are still in usable condition. Anonymously surveyed Berry College Animal Science Faculty strongly agreed or agreed that Elnady preserved tissues are a useful teaching aid (n = 5). The Elnady Technique has proven to be a useful means of preserving tissue samples used in undergraduate animal science courses.

The Australian New Zealand Consortium in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults Oncofertility action plan.

International and national oncofertility networks, including the US-led Oncofertility Consortium, FertiProtekt, and the Danish Network, have played pivotal roles in advancing the discipline of oncofertility over the last decade. Many other countries lack a shared approach to pediatric oncofertility health service delivery. This study aims to describe baseline oncofertility practices at Australian New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group centers in 2019-2021, describe binational priorities for care, and propose a 5-year action plan for best practice to be implemented by the newly formed Australian New Zealand Consortium in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults (CAYA) Oncofertility (ANZCO).

Toward an optimal cadaveric brain model for neurosurgical education: assessment of preservation, parenchyma, vascular injection, and imaging.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed types of cadaveric head and brain tissue specimen preparations that are used in a high throughput neurosurgical research laboratory to determine optimal preparation methods for neurosurgical anatomical research, education, and training. METHODS: Cadaveric specimens (N = 112) prepared using different preservation and vascular injection methods were imaged, dissected, and graded by 11 neurosurgeons using a 21-point scale. We assessed the quality of tissue and preservation in both the anterior and posterior circulations. Tissue quality was evaluated using a 9-point magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scale. RESULTS: Formalin-fixed specimens yielded the highest scores for assessment (mean ± SD [17.0 ± 2.8]) vs. formalin-flushed (17.0 ± 3.6) and MRI (6.9 ± 2.0). Cadaver assessment and MRI scores were positively correlated (P < 0.001, R2 0.60). Analysis showed significant associations between cadaver assessment scores and specific variables: nonformalin fixation (ß = -3.3), preservation within ≤72 h of death (ß = 1.8), and MRI quality score (ß = 0.7). Formalin-fixed specimens exhibited greater hardness than formalin-flushed and nonformalin-fixed specimens (P ≤ 0.006). Neurosurgeons preferred formalin-flushed specimens injected with colored latex. CONCLUSION: For better-quality specimens for neurosurgical education and training, formalin preservation within ≤72 h of death was preferable, as was injection with colored latex. Formalin-flushed specimens more closely resembled live brain parenchyma. Assessment scores were lower for preparation techniques performed > 72 h postmortem and for nonformalin preservation solutions. The positive correlation between cadaver assessment scores and our novel MRI score indicates that donation organizations and institutional buyers should incorporate MRI as a screening tool for the selection of high-quality specimens.

Human brains preserve in diverse environments for at least 12 000 years.

The brain is thought to be among the first human organs to decompose after death. The discovery of brains preserved in the archaeological record is therefore regarded as unusual. Although mechanisms such as dehydration, freezing, saponification, and tanning are known to allow for the preservation of the brain on short time scales in association with other soft tissues (≲4000 years), discoveries of older brains, especially in the absence of other soft tissues, are rare. Here, we collated an archive of more than 4400 human brains preserved in the archaeological record across approximately 12 000 years, more than 1300 of which constitute the only soft tissue preserved amongst otherwise skeletonized remains. We found that brains of this type persist on time scales exceeding those preserved by other means, which suggests an unknown mechanism may be responsible for preservation particular to the central nervous system. The untapped archive of preserved ancient brains represents an opportunity for bioarchaeological studies of human evolution, health and disease.

Prolonged cold-preservation of domestic cat ovarian tissue is improved by extracellular solution but impaired by the fragmentation of ovary.

For domestic cats ovaries, recommended cold-storage limit is 24 h in Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) or Dulbecco`s PBS (DPBS). Here, we attempted to verify wheatear cat ovaries may benefit from more complex solutions during prolonged cold-storage (>24 h). First, the preservation capabilities of extracellular (SP+), intracellular (UW) solutions and DPBS supplemented with glutathione (DPBS+GSH) were compared using ovary fragments from the same ovary (n=10). Intact ovary stored in DPBS served as a control. Ovaries were kept at 4 °C for 48 h, and 72 h. In the second experiment, first ovary was stored in DPBS, second in SP+ or UW solution for 48 h (n = 12). Ovaries pairs stored in DPBS for 24 h served as a control (n=8). Tissue samples were evaluated directly after cold-storage and after following 24 h in vitro culture. Ovarian follicle morphology, apoptosis rates (cleaved caspase-3, TUNEL), and follicular growth activation (Ki-67) were assessed. Ovary fragmentation impaired follicular morphology preservation upon cold-storage comparing to intact ovary. However, ovarian fragments stored in UW for 48 h and in SP+ for 72 h presented better morphology than DPBS+GSH group. Comparison of intact ovaries cold-storage for 48 h showed that SP+ provided superior follicular morphology over DPBS, and it was comparable to the outcome of 24-hour storage. No follicular activation after in vitro culture was observed. Nevertheless, tissue culture increased considerably caspase-3 cleavage and TUNEL detection. The ovary fragmentation prior to cold-storage is not recommended in domestic cats. Replacement of DPBS with SP+ solution for whole ovary and UW solution for ovarian tissue fragments improves follicular structure preservation during 48-hour cold-storage.

Impact of the quality of resected thyroid cancer tissue sample on next-generation sequencing testing.

Activating rearranged during transfection (RET) proto-oncogene alterations can be identified using next-generation sequencing (NGS) of tumor DNA/RNA. We assessed factors associated with NGS (Oncomine Dx Target Test [ODxTT]) success for resected thyroid cancer (TC) specimens, including sample age, processing conditions, and DNA/RNA quality. TC samples were from three Japanese hospitals, with sample age <1-<10 years, fixative 10%/15% neutralized buffered formalin (NBF), and fixation time ≤48 h/>48 h-≤72 h. NGS success rate was defined as the percentage of samples returning validated NGS results (RET fusion-positive/negative [RNA] or RET mutation-positive/negative [DNA], detected using ODxTT). DNA/RNA quality was assessed with indexes based on electrophoresis (DNA/RNA integrity number, DV200 ) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (DNA/RNA integrity score [ddCq/ΔCq]). NGS success rate (N = 202) was 90%/93% (DNA/RNA) overall, 98%-100% (DNA and RNA) for samples <3 years old, and 91% (DNA and RNA) for samples ≥3-<5 years old fixed in 10% NBF for ≤48 h. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified ddCq and ΔCq as significant predictors of DNA and RNA NGS success rates, respectively. Quality assessment of nucleic acid extracted from archival tissue samples is important for achieving high NGS success rates in clinical practice, especially for samples ≥3 years old.

Vein graft preservation with an endothelial damage inhibitor in isolated coronary artery bypass surgery: an observational propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Preservation solutions may be used intraoperatively during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to flush and preserve vein grafts. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of DuraGraft, an endothelial damage inhibitor (EDI) preservation solution on major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) after CABG. Methods: We conducted an observational, prospective, longitudinal, single-center study that included patients who underwent isolated CABG. The cohort treated with an EDI was matched 1:1 with a control group treated with conventional vein preservation, and matching was adjusted for possible confounding factors through propensity score (PS) matching. Three years follow-up was conducted, and the occurrence of MACE [defined as all cause-death, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and new unplanned revascularization] was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The study included 180 patients, 90 in each group. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics across study groups. The EDI group had a significantly better event-free survival at 3 years (89% vs. 78%, log-rank test P=0.035), with an incidence rate ratio of 0.41 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.16-0.96]. In the pre-specified subgroups analysis, the use of an EDI was associated with a significantly better event-free survival in diabetic patients (log-rank test P=0.041) and those with two or more saphenous vein grafts (log-rank test P=0.015). Conclusions: The utilization of an EDI for vein flushing and storage after vein harvest in CABG procedures has been shown to significantly decrease the incidence of MACE at 3 years post-surgery. This protective effect is particularly notable in diabetic patients and in individuals who have multiple vein grafts.

The biomechanical and biological effect of supercooling on cortical bone allograft.

BACKGROUND: The need for a storage method capable of preserving the intrinsic properties of bones without using toxic substances has always been raised. Supercooling is a relatively recently introduced preservation method that meets this need. Supercooling refers to the phenomenon of liquid in which the temperature drops below its freezing point without solidifying or crystallizing. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the preservation efficiency and applicability of the supercooling technique as a cortical bone allograft storage modality. METHODS: The biomechanical effects of various storage methods, including deep freezing, cryopreservation, lyophilization, glycerol preservation, and supercooling, were evaluated with the three-point banding test, axial compression test, and electron microscopy. Additionally, cortical bone allografts were applied to the radial bone defect in New Zealand White rabbits to determine the biological effects. The degree of bone union was assessed with postoperative clinical signs, radiography, micro-computed tomography, and biomechanical analysis. RESULTS: The biomechanical properties of cortical bone grafts preserved using glycerol and supercooling method were found to be comparable to those of normal bone while also significantly stronger than deep-frozen, cryopreserved, and lyophilized bone grafts. Preclinical research performed in rabbit radial defect models revealed that supercooled and glycerol-preserved bone allografts exhibited significantly better bone union than other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the biomechanical and biological superiority, the supercooling technique could be one of the optimal preservation methods for cortical bone allografts. This study will form the basis for a novel application of supercooling as a bone material preservation technique.

Normothermic Ex Situ Machine Perfusion of Vascularized Composite Allografts with Oxygen Microcarriers for 12 Hours Using Real-Time Mitochondrial Redox Quantification.

BACKGROUND: Normothermic ex situ perfusion of vascularized composite allografts (VCAs) necessitates high oxygen demand and, thus, increased metabolic activity, which, in turn, requires the use of blood-based perfusion solutions. However, blood-derived perfusates, in turn, constitute an antigenic load. To circumvent this immunogenic problem, we used a perfusate enriched with acellular dextrane oxygen microcarriers to perfuse rat hindlimbs. METHODS: Rat hindlimbs (n = 11) were perfused with either (non-), oxygenated dextrane-enriched Phoxilium, or Phoxilium enriched with dextrane oxygen microcarriers (MO2) for 12 h at 37 °C or stored on ice. Oxygenation of the skeletal muscle was assessed with Raman spectroscopy, tissue pO2-probes, and analysis of the perfusate. Transmission electronic microscopy was utilized to assess the ultrastructure of mitochondria of the skeletal muscle. RESULTS: For all evaluated conditions, ischemia time until perfusion was comparable (22.91 ± 1.64 min; p = 0.1559). After 12 h, limb weight increased significantly by at least 81%, up to 124% in the perfusion groups, and by 27% in the static cold storage (SCS) group. Raman spectroscopy signals of skeletal muscle did not differ substantially among the groups during either perfusion or static cold storage across the duration of the experiment. While the total number of skeletal muscle mitochondria decreased significantly compared to baseline, mitochondrial diameter increased in the perfusion groups and the static cold storage group. CONCLUSION: The use of oxygen microcarriers in ex situ perfusion of VCA with acellular perfusates under normothermic conditions for 12 h facilitates the maintenance of mitochondrial structure, as well as a subsequent recovery of mitochondrial redox status over time, while markers of muscle injury were lower compared to conventional oxygenated acellular perfusates.

Self-designed surgical guides for accurate socket shield preparation: An in vitro evaluation supported by a clinical report.

PURPOSE: To achieve accurate socket shield preparation with newly proposed guides that are based on guiding rails and to investigate the effect of rail format (unilateral or bilateral) and rail height on the accuracy and efficiency of the guides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two surgical guides based on grooved rails to guide the rotary instruments were produced. The first guide was used to cut the root into a labial shield with a pre-designed form and a lingual one, while the second guide was used to reduce the socket shield to the alveolar bone crest. The CBCT and intraoral scan data were first obtained and superimposed using the software. After isolating the root which would be used as a socket shield, grooved rails were designed on two separate guide templates according to the chosen rotary instruments to obtain a labial shield with a pre-designed form. An in vitro study was then conducted based on four cases in each group to determine the accuracy, efficiency, and optimal parameters of the guides, which was then verified with a clinical report. Comparisons between groups were performed with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA, for comparison between multiple groups) and the Student-Newman-Keuls test (for comparison between two groups). RESULTS: With these two guides, the root can be divided into two pieces, including a palatal one and a labial one with a pre-designed form within a short time. Guide templates with bilateral rails more than 7 mm in height and those with unilateral rails 9 mm in height significantly increased the surgery accuracy, showing accurate shield preparation and decreased bone injury. Moreover, the guides with bilateral rails of more than 5 mm significantly decreased the surgery time for shield preparation. The presented case further verified the accuracy and efficiency of the guides. CONCLUSIONS: The newly proposed guides can help to accurately prepare the socket shield, resulting in long-term stability of peri-implant tissues. Moreover, bilateral guiding rails with a height of 7-9 mm are recommended in such a guided socket shield surgery.

Ethanol preservation and pretreatments facilitate quality DNA extractions in recalcitrant plant species.

Premise: The preservation of plant tissues in ethanol is conventionally viewed as problematic. Here, we show that leaf preservation in ethanol combined with proteinase digestion can provide high-quality DNA extracts. Additionally, as a pretreatment, ethanol can facilitate DNA extraction for recalcitrant samples. Methods: DNA was isolated from leaves preserved with 96% ethanol or from silica-desiccated leaf samples and herbarium fragments that were pretreated with ethanol. DNA was extracted from herbarium tissues using a special ethanol pretreatment protocol, and these extracts were compared with those obtained using the standard cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method. Results: DNA extracted from tissue preserved in, or pretreated with, ethanol was less fragmented than DNA from tissues without pretreatment. Adding proteinase digestion to the lysis step increased the amount of DNA obtained from the ethanol-pretreated tissues. The combination of the ethanol pretreatment with liquid nitrogen freezing and a sorbitol wash prior to cell lysis greatly improved the quality and yield of DNA from the herbarium tissue samples. Discussion: This study critically reevaluates the consequences of ethanol for plant tissue preservation and expands the utility of pretreatment methods for molecular and phylogenomic studies.

An Innovative Fluid Dynamic System to Model Inflammation in Human Skin Explants.

Skin is a major administration route for drugs, and all transdermal formulations must be tested for their capability to overcome the cutaneous barrier. Therefore, developing highly reliable skin models is crucial for preclinical studies. The current in vitro models are unable to replicate the living skin in all its complexity; thus, to date, excised human skin is considered the gold standard for in vitro permeation studies. However, skin explants have a limited life span. In an attempt to overcome this problem, we used an innovative bioreactor that allowed us to achieve good structural and functional preservation in vitro of explanted human skin for up to 72 h. This device was then used to set up an in vitro inflammatory model by applying two distinct agents mimicking either exogenous or endogenous stimuli: i.e., dithranol, inducing the contact dermatitis phenotype, and the substance P, mimicking neurogenic inflammation. Our in vitro system proved to reproduce inflammatory events observed in vivo, such as vasodilation, increased number of macrophages and mast cells, and increased cytokine secretion. This bioreactor-based system may therefore be suitably and reliably used to simulate in vitro human skin inflammation and may be foreseen as a promising tool to test the efficacy of drugs and cosmetics.

Multidisciplinary Approach for Autotransplantation and Restoration of a Maxillary Premolar into an Area of an Avulsed Anterior Tooth: A Case Report with a 6-Year Follow-up.

The loss of an anterior tooth because of avulsion has been reported in up to 3% of dental injuries. Management alternatives, such as implant-supported restorations and a fixed partial denture, are contraindicated in growing patients because of the continuous growth of the alveolar process. At the same time, orthodontic treatment for gap closure will result in asymmetry and will require adjustment of the adjacent healthy teeth. Therefore, restoring a missing tooth imposes a treatment challenge, especially in children and young adults. Tooth autotransplantation is a treatment modality with high reported survival and success rates that overcome these mentioned limitations. It might also help to preserve the alveolar bone and the soft tissues. This case report describes a multidisciplinary approach for managing a 13-year-old boy who lost his right maxillary central incisor because of a fall. Management included autotransplantation of the left maxillary second premolar to the site of the lost right maxillary central incisor, management of external inflammatory resorption with an endodontic treatment, orthodontic treatment, and aesthetic restoration of the area with composite resin crowns that can be adapted to the expected changes of the jaws during the craniofacial growing period. At the 6-year follow-up, the teeth demonstrated a positive outcome.

Single-retainer all-ceramic resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses: Long-term outcomes in the esthetic zone.

OBJECTIVES: To present an update on the concept of cantilevered single-retainer all-ceramic resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDPs) first presented 25 years ago in the Journal of Esthetic Dentistry. OVERVIEW: The initially presented case of the concept was followed clinically over 26 years and is presented along with two additional clinical long-term cases using varying methods to obtain an esthetic and hygienic ovate pontic design. Veneered alumina and zirconia ceramic (3 mol% yttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline ceramic; 3Y-TZP) was used and bonded with a phosphate monomer containing luting resin after 50 µm alumina particle air-abrasion at 0.25 MPa pressure. The restorations replacing incisors did not debond and soft tissues in the pontic area were maintained over 26 years. CONCLUSIONS: Cantilevered single-retainer all-ceramic RBFDPs today made from veneered 3Y-TZP zirconia ceramic can be considered a standard of care for the replacement of single incisors and provide an excellent esthetic outcome with a long-term preservation of soft tissues in the pontic area. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Bonding nonretentive oxides ceramics such as alumina and zirconia ceramic with phosphate monomer containing luting resins after alumina particle air-abrasion is durable over decades. This proves that bonding to zirconia ceramic is not of any problem when adequate methods are used. Single-retainer zirconia ceramic RBFDPs maintain soft tissues in the edentulous area of single missing incisors and often deem implants unessential for this indication.

Unparalleled details of soft tissues in a Cretaceous ant.

For social insects such as ants, the internal organs are likely important in understanding their eusocial behavior and evolution. Such organs, however, are rarely preserved on fossils. In each of the few cases reporting exceptionally fossilized soft tissues in arthropods, the nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems have been described individually, but never in combination. Here, we report a female specimen (gyne) of the extinct ant group-†Zigrasimecia-included in a Cretaceous amber piece from Kachin, Myanmar, with an almost complete system formed by various internal organs. These include the brain, the main exocrine system, part of the digestive tract, and several muscle clusters. This research expands our knowledge of internal anatomy in stem group ants. As the gyne bears a morphologically unique labrum, our specimen's internal and external features support the notion that the early ant may have special ecological habits during the Cretaceous period.

Occurrence Rate of Cyclops Lesion After Anatomic Double-Bundle ACL Reconstruction: Comparison Between Remnant Tissue Preservation and Resection Methods.

Background: The occurrence rate of cyclops lesion after anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with remnant tissue preservation remains unclear. Hypothesis: The study hypotheses were as follows: (1) the occurrence rate of cyclops lesion will be comparable between the remnant-preserving and remnant-resecting ACL reconstruction methods, and (2) there will be no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the remnant-preserving and remnant-resecting procedures. Methods: This retrospective comparative study involved 177 patients who underwent unilateral anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction using hamstring tendon autografts from 2014 to 2018 at our hospital. According to the Crain classification of ACL remnant tissue, 98 patients with remnant types I, II, or III underwent the remnant-preserving procedure (group A), and the remaining 79 patients with remnant type IV underwent the remnant-resecting procedure (group B). All patients underwent second-look arthroscopy. Patients were evaluated according to arthroscopic and clinical results at postoperative 15.2 ± 8.4 months (mean ± SD). Statistical comparisons between groups were made using the paired Student t test, chi-square test, and Fisher exact test. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Results: At second-look arthroscopy, the incidence of cyclops lesions was significantly higher in group B than in group A (29.1% vs 13.3%; P = .0139). Cyclops lesions were divided into 4 locations: femoral side (type 1), midsubstance (type 2), tibial side (type 3), and anterior (type 4) of the ACL graft. The ratio of the tibial-side cyclops lesion (type 3) was significantly higher in group B than in group A (P = .0354). There were no significant differences in the clinical evaluation scores between the procedures. Side-to-side anterior laxity was significantly less in group A than in group B (0.7 vs 1.6 mm; P = .0035). Concerning postoperative laceration and synovium coverage of the grafts, group A was significantly better than group B (P < .0001). Conclusion: In this cohort of patients undergoing double-bundle ACL reconstruction, resection of the ACL remnant was associated with a significantly higher rate of cyclops lesion formation when compared with preservation of the remnant.

Skin patterning and internal anatomy in a fossil moonfish from the Eocene Bolca Lagerstätte illuminate the ecology of ancient reef fish communities.

Colour patterning in extant animals can be used as a reliable indicator of their biology and, in extant fish, can inform on feeding strategy. Fossil fish with preserved colour patterns may thus illuminate the evolution of fish behaviour and community structure, but are understudied. Here we report preserved melanin-based integumentary colour patterning and internal anatomy of the fossil moonfish Mene rhombea (Menidae) from the Bolca Lagerstätte (Eocene (Ypresian), north-east Italy). The melanosome-based longitudinal stripes of M. rhombea differ from the dorsal rows of black spots in its extant relative M. maculata, suggesting that the ecology of moonfish has changed during the Cenozoic. Extant moonfish are coastal schooling fish that feed on benthic invertebrates, but the longitudinal stripes and stomach contents with fish remains in M. rhombea suggest unstructured open marine ecologies and a piscivorous diet. The localized distribution of extant moonfish species in the Indo-Pacific Ocean may reflect, at least in part, tectonically-driven reorganization of global oceanographic patterns during the Cenozoic. It is likely that shifts in habitat and colour patterning genes promoted colour pattern evolution in the menid lineage.