OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to measure the morphological characteristics of inferior pole fracture of the patella (IPFP) and develop a practical classification system to determine the corresponding treatment protocols for different IPFPs with specific patterns.
METHODS: A retrospective radiographic review was performed on a series of 71 patients with IPFP. The preoperative CT data were collected and measured using image processing software. The number of fragments, maximum fracture fragment anteroposterior length (MFFAL), maximum fracture fragment transverse length (MFFTL), fracture fragment coronal angle (FFCA), fracture fragment sagittal angle (FFSA), maximum fracture fragment height (MFFH) and maximum transverse sectional area (MTSA) were analysed.
RESULTS: The mean number of fracture fragments was 3.8. The average MFFAL was 14.9 mm, the average MFFTL was 23.5 mm, the average FFCA was 92.1°, the average FFSA was 93.0°, the average MFFH was 13.6 mm, and the average MTSA was 299.3 mm2. A new classification system was introduced to describe the varied patterns of IPFP, summarized as (I) simple IPFP; (II) comminuted IPFP; (III) simple IPFP with simple patellar body fracture; and (IV) comminuted patellar fracture involving the inferior pole. With the four-type classification system, 12 type I, 22 type II, 21 type III, and 16 type IV lesions were observed, each with specific morphological characteristics.
CONCLUSIONS: Most IPFPs exhibited a diversiform pattern, demonstrating that coverage fixation was likely needed. The four-type classification system might offer a valuable approach to help orthopaedic surgeons make individual treatment plans.

The outer cuticle, middle cortex, and inner medulla make up hair, which is an epidermal outgrowth. Hair is resilient under harsh natural conditions, thus it is frequently collected at crime scenes, making human hair analysis important in the forensic sciences field. It aids in the formation of a triangle connecting a crime scene, a victim, and a culprit. The aim of this study is to observe the microscopic structure of male and female human hair. Samples of hair specimens from males and females were collected. The materials used were ethanol to degrease and a stereomicroscope to observe the structural differences between the male and female hair samples. The comparison between male and female hair is done on the grounds of color, shaft profiles, the proximal and distal ends of the hair, cuticle, and surface texture, and the other found characters. This study of comparison between male and female hair specimens revealed that the hair color at the distal end is found to be brown for females while it is completely black in that of males, and the surface texture of males is found to have some irregularities while there are no irregularities in female. This study can be concluded that the structural comparison between male and female hair specimens can be used as evidence for forensic analysis at crime scenes.

UNASSIGNED: Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a noninvasive quick method to visualize capillaries in the nailfold. There is paucity of these studies in healthy individuals in skin of color.
UNASSIGNED: To evaluate the morphological characteristics and density of nailfold capillaries in healthy individuals.
UNASSIGNED: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at a tertiary care hospital. About 150 healthy individuals by consecutive sampling were included in the study.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 150 healthy individuals aged between 20 and 60 years were enrolled from January 2021 to September 2021 after consenting to the study protocol and qualifying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. NFC was performed for various morphological parameters and mean capillary density was also calculated. Comparison was done in male vs female, age group 20-40 vs 41-60, and body mass index (BMI) <24.9 vs >25.
UNASSIGNED: Different morphological parameters and capillary density were recorded and analyzed. The Mann-Whitney and Pearson\'s chi square was used according to type of data.
UNASSIGNED: The study observed tortuous capillaries (45.33%), meandering capillaries (44.66%), neoangiogenesis (38.66%), plexus visibility (36.66%), dilated capillaries (33.33%), receding capillaries (31.33%), angulated capillaries (14.66%), and ramified capillaries (6.6%). The study found significantly decreased plexus visibility in those with BMI > 25.Tortuous and receding capillaries were significantly increased in age group >40 years.
UNASSIGNED: Various capillary morphological findings can be present in normal individuals but their presence in more number of fingers should be considered to be pathological. This data on normal morphology and capillary density add to the physiological NFC findings and thus aid in identifying the abnormalities.

The orientation, distribution, and contact point density of BF (basalt fiber) in the concrete matrix play significant roles in the mechanical properties of BF concrete, but represent a weak point in current research. It is meaningful to study the morphological characteristics of BF in concrete. In this study, the transparent model test and joint blocking method were innovatively adopted to investigate the correlation of dosage with the BF morphological parameters and concrete mechanical properties. A focus on a BF dosage of 0-7.5 kg/m3 and the contribution index of fibers Cf was defined. Furthermore, NMR and CT techniques were used to observe the changes in the microstructure of BF concrete. The experimental results show that the BF contribution index Cf reaches the largest value when the BF content is around 3 kg/m3, approximately 2.7; in this case, the mechanical properties of BF concrete were also optimal, and the Cf was only 2.34 when the BF content was 7.5 kg/m3. NMR and CT test results show that there is a strong correlation between the BF morphological parameters and the distribution of pore structure in the concrete matrix. The overlapping contact of BF clusters led to the penetration of pores, which led the macro-pore proportion to increase dramatically. The increase in the macro-pore proportion is the main reason for the deterioration in concrete performance. In addition, these macro-pores may have adverse effects on the chloride ion permeability of BF concrete.

BACKGROUND: No study has assessed the feasibility and safety of cervical pedicle screw implantation in patients with vertebral artery dominance (VAD), a common vertebral artery (VA) variation which can increase VA injury (VAI) risk. This study was to assess morphological characteristics of the subaxial cervical pedicles and surrounding critical structures, and identify their correlations in patients with VAD.
METHODS: Computed tomography arteriography scans of 152 patients were used for retrospectively measuring parameters including pedicle outer width (POW), the distance from the lateral pedicle border to the closest part of VA (DPVA), diameter of VA (DVA), area of VA (AVA), area of transverse foramen (ATF) and occupational ratio of transverse foramen (TF). Moreover, correlations among some critical parameters were assessed.
RESULTS: One hundred eight males and 44 females, with a mean age of 55.9 years were included. POW was smaller on the dominant side than on the non-dominant side, whereas DPVA, DVA, AVA, ATF, and TF were larger on the dominant side than those on the non-dominant side. On both sides, POW < 4 mm and POW + DPVA < 5 mm were observed most frequently at C3 and C4. On both sides, POW was correlated to ATF, and ATF was correlated to DVA and AVA. DPVA was correlated to ATF on the dominant side.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with VAD exhibited smaller POW on the dominant side, most frequently at C3 and C4. Dominant VA may indirectly affect POW. TF may be a key determinant of DPVA and POW.

Morphological characteristics are the leading indicators of the health status of birds. To explore the effects of heavy metals on bird morphometry in natural populations, tree sparrows (Passer montanus) were studied in a polluted site [Baiyin (BY)] and a relatively unpolluted site [Liujiaxia (LJX)]. This study aimed to examine whether morphological variables, the fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of the wing, tarsus, and toe length, were associated with heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) and Ca levels in different tissues and feces of adults and nestlings. Results showed that adults collected from BY contained relatively higher heavy metal concentrations and lower Ca concentrations in different tissues than those from LJX. Smaller body sizes and higher FA levels of adults and nestlings were found in BY than in LJX. Although higher heavy metal concentrations in some tissues were associated with smaller morphological characteristics of adults, the effects were not obvious in nestlings. The most correlated heavy metal with as many characteristics was heavy metal in primary feather in both sites, and the most affected characteristic was body mass in BY. The FA values of adults and nestlings in BY were positively affected by heavy metal concentrations in different tissues and feces. The growth rate of wing and tarsus length of nestlings in BY were negatively affected by the FA values of wing and tarsus length, respectively. Taken together, environmental metal pollution might affect the morphological characteristics of tree sparrows. These findings suggest that the morphological characteristics of tree sparrows, especially FA, can be used as indicators of metal pollution, underscoring the importance of measuring morphological characteristics in avian ecotoxicology field studies.

Twelve species of wild leguminosae were studied to determine similarities in the coat details of the seeds using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The numerical cluster analysis method was used to examine the morphological characteristics (98 characteristics) and to clarify the taxonomic relationship between the studied species (6 genera and 3 tribes) belonging to the Fabaceae family. The relevant wild species were: Lotus edulis L, Lotus ornithopodioides L., Tetragonolobus purpureus Moench, Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill., Gard. Dict., M.orbicularis (L.) Bart., M.turbinata (L.) All, M.polymorpha L., Ononis vaginalis Vahl, Lathyrus aphaca L., Vicia sativa L., V. peregrine L., and V.tetrasperma (L.) Schreb. The aim of this study was to produce a taxonomy reflecting the relations between these twelve forage species of Fabaceae by using the morphological and SEM features to provide a details about and clarify the relations between the examined taxa. The taxonomic histories of the Fabaceae family were reviewed. The results of the morphological description and SEM showed that it was possible to distinguish between the taxa using the cluster analysis attributes for the differences in characteristic correlation between the groups under study. This study will help researchers better grasp the classification of these species of legumes which were chosen because of the difficulty of differentiating between them, their environment benefits, their use for human consumption and pasture. The SEM is a suitable tool for this analysis, owing to the similarities exhibited by the seeds.

Fifty cultivated Perilla seeds were collected all over the country and planted in Beijing experiment field for morphology and chemical-type researches. Twenty morphological characteristics were selected and observed, and the essential oil from leaves was extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by GC-MS to confirm chemical-types. There were significant diversities in plant height, leaf color and morphology, and fruit color and weight. Clustering analysis was carried out based on these morphological characteristics. Six types were divided with their chemical-type designated. Type Ⅰ: Six germplasms, attributed to P. frutescens var. crispa, with dwarf plants, thin creased purple leaf, named Crispa, their chemical types were diversified, including EK, PAPK, PA and PK. Type Ⅱ: Six germplasms, attributed to P. frutescens var. crispa, plants were taller than type I and with thin and creased green leaf, named Big Crispa, all PK type. Type Ⅲ: Seventeen germplasms, attributed to P. frutescens var. frutescens with leaf color upside green and underside purple, tall plant and wide distribution all over the China, named Ordinary Frutescens, all PK. Type Ⅳ: Four germplasms, attributed to P. frutescens var. acuta with tall plant and small seed, named Acuta, all PK. Type Ⅴ: Seven germplasms, attributed to P. frutescens var. frutescens with green leaves, tall plants and long clusters, named Long-spike Frutescens, all PK. Type Ⅵ: Ten germplasms, attributed to P. frutescens var. frutescens with big, thick and creased leaf, named Thick-leaf Frutescens, including PK, PP, PL and PA. The morphological classification of this paper would lay the foundation for the taxonomic naming and following evaluation of the Perilla germplasm resources.This study also showed that there was no correspondence but a certain correlation between volatile oil chemical-types and subspecies classification and morphological characteristics of Perilla.