Three-day-old neonatal rats had their common peroneal nerve crushed 3 mm from the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. At periodic intervals of 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28 days following nerve injury the EDL muscles were removed, weighed, stained using the silver cholinesterase method and their muscle fibres counted. In these rats during the re-innervation process, the bands of Biingner were absent, some endplates disintegrated and a large proportion of the muscle fibres were lost. This study has shown that interruption of the normal nerve-muscle interaction during the neonatal period is highly detrimental to the subsequent growth and development of the muscle.
The uniqueness of anatomical structures and their variations provides the basis for forensic identification of unknown deceased persons. Similar to fingerprints, each frontal sinus is so distinctive and unique that the chances of two individuals having the same morphology of the frontal sinuses is extremely remote. Radiographs, especially the occipitomental view commonly used in the assessment of paranasal pathology, provide excellent records of these sinuses. The case illustrated here is an application of the frontal sinus identification of a victim in a mass disaster.
Determining the racial affinity of an unknown individual from dentition for identification is indeed a difficult endeavour. However, there are certain dental characteristics which are predominant in certain racial groups and these contribute important indicators in the identification process. Inherited dental characteristics are modified by prenatal and postnatal environmental and nutritional conditions. They can also become less discernible due to admixture of the various races.