Jantima Roongruangchai

COMPARISON OF BLOOD FEEDING RESPONSE AND INFECTION OF AEDES AEGYPTI TO WUCHERERIA BANCROFTI USING ANIMAL MEMBRANES AND DIRECT HOST CONTACT

ABSTRACT Comparison of an artificial, whole-blood membrane feeding procedure was performed by feeding Aedes aegypti (Liverpool strain) on the blood of patients infected with Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae with the use of 3 types of membranes produced from chicken and mouse skin and swine intestine. Direct feeding of Ae. aegypti on the skin of infected human patients served as control. For all 3 types of membranes, mosquito survival, infection, and number of infective-stage larvae per mosquito did not differ significantly from the control. However, the blood feeding response between swine intestine layer (32%) compared to chicken skin (75.3%), mouse skin (70%), and direct feeding (84%) differed significantly. The response in direct feeding method was significantly higher than those in all membranes tested (F = 18.89; df = 3; P < 0.05) Chicken skin preparation was shown to be the preferred membrane for blood feeding Ae. aegypti and experimental infection with W. bancrofti.

Microvasculature of the Medulla Oblongata in the Lyle’s Flying Fox (Pteropus lylei)

The microvasculature of the medulla oblongata in 15 adult Lyle’s flying foxes (Pteropus lylei) was elucidated by using the vascular corrosion cast technique combined with scanning electron microscopy. The study showed that the medulla received the main arterial supply from branches of the vertebrobasilar system. The supplied areas were divided into three groups: ventral, lateral and dorsal groups. All vessel groups gave off circumferential and perforating branches; moreover, these branches anastomosed with one another in two fashions: end‐to‐end and side‐by‐side arrangements. In addition, the ramifications of the branches were L and Y types. The L type was more frequently found than the Y one. The density of capillaries in the nuclei was greater than that in the area of nerve fibres. Numerous arterial sphincters and smooth muscle cells were observed. Furthermore, capillaries in the medulla were of the continuous type, whereas those in the area postrema were fenestrated. The venous drainage system of the medulla was classified into caudal, middle and rostral parts. All of them emptied into both the sigmoid sinus and internal jugular vein. It was concluded that these vascular patterns provide sufficient blood supply to the medulla oblongata of P. lylei when abrupt changes in the position of this bat occurs.

The anatomical study of the major signal points of the court-type Thai traditional massage on legs and their effects on blood flow and skin temperature

OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the relationship between major signal points (MaSPs) of the lower extremities used in court-type Thai traditional massage (CTTM) and the corresponding underlying anatomical structures, as well as to determine the short-term changes in blood flow and skin temperature of volunteers experiencing CTTM. METHODS MaSPs were identified and marked on cadavers before acrylic color was injected. The underlying structures marked with acrylic colors were observed and the anatomical structures were determined. Then, pressure was applied to each MaSP in human volunteers (lateral side of leg and medial side of leg) and blood flow on right dorsalis pedis artery was measured using duplex ultrasound while skin temperature changes were monitored using an infrared themographic camera. RESULTS Short-term changes in the blood flow parameters, volume flow and average velocity, compared to baseline (P < 0.05), were observed on MaSP of the lower extremity, ML4. Changes in the peak systolic velocity of the area ML5 were also observed relative to baseline. The skin temperature of two different MaSPs on the lateral side of leg (LL4 and LL5) and four on the medial side of leg (ML2, ML3, ML4 and ML5) was significantly increased (P < 0.05) at 1 min after pressure application. CONCLUSION This study established the clear correlation between the location of MaSP, as defined in CTTM, and the underlying anatomical structures. The effect of massage can stimulate skin blood flow because results showed increased skin temperature and blood flow characteristics. While these results were statistically significant, they may not be clinically relevant, as the present study focused on the immediate physiological effect of manipulation, rather than treatment effects. Thus, this study will serve as baseline data for further clinical studies in CTTM.