GH-11 xylanases are highly specific and possess a thumb-shaped loop, a unique structure among enzymes with a jelly-roll scaffold. To investigate this structure, in vitro mutagenesis was performed on a GH-11 xylanase (Tx-Xyl) from Thermobacillus xylanilyticus. Targets were the conserved amino acids Pro(114)-Ser(115)-Ile(116) that are located at the thumb's tip and Thr(121) and Tyr(111), linker r...

Hand weakness following stroke is often associated with a reduced representation of the hand in the primary motor cortex. Meaningful sensory input can induce sensorimotor reorganization in the brain, but the after-effect of continuous passive motion (CPM) on the cortical representation is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated sessions of continuous passive movemen...

BACKGROUND The Bilhaut-Cloquet operation is a combined surgical procedure for the treatment of a symmetric bifid thumb. Although this procedure can obtain a normal-sized thumb with a stable interphalangeal joint, it has limitations, such as the technical difficulty of combining all segments of a duplicated thumb, possible later physeal growth arrest, joint stiffness, and nail-plate deformity. W...

The muscles and tendons of the thumb are very strong but are not designed for the type of intense activity associated with many of today's handheld devices. Muscle fatigue and excessive muscle tension can cause pain and ache in the muscles and restrict the joint flexibility. Over the long term this kind of excessive use can irritate the tendons and lead to premature arthritis. The repetitive st...

BACKGROUND Various surgical options used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the basal joint of the thumb that are refractory to non-surgical management. This study was conducted to provide short term functional outcomes using the mentioned technique in treating basal joint arthritis of the thumb. METHODS We treated basal joint arthritis of the thumb by trapeziumectomy and volar oblique lig...

This study examined the anatomical and functional relationships between the abductor pollicis longus (APL) and the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscles. The APL has 2 divisions, a distal superficial division and a more proximal deep one. A direct anatomical connection between the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the thumb is made up by the deep division of the APL, the APB and the trapezium...

Answer set programming is a form of declarative programming that can be used to elegantly model various systems. When the available knowledge about these systems is imperfect, however, the resulting programs can be inconsistent. In such cases, it is of interest to find plausible repairs, i.e. plausible modifications to the original program that ensure the existence of at least one answer set. A...

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative incidence of thumb injuries in men's lacrosse with similar intercollegiate stickhandling sports. In this descriptive, epidemiological study, NCAA Injury Surveillance System data was gathered pertaining to hand injuries in gloved, stickhandling sports (men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, and women’s lacrosse). Data analysis was performed to det...

Background: Thumb pulp defects are commonly due to avulsion injuries. The choice of reconstructive procedure for thumb depends on the amount and type tissue lost. First Dorsal Metacarpal Artery (FDMA) flap is a versatile method with minimum donor site morbidity which provides protective sensation, adequate length, stability good mobility. Method: This study was done over period 2 years involved...

Capuchin monkeys present a wide variety of manipulatory skills and make routine use of tools both in captivity and in the wild. Efficient handling of objects in this genus has led several investigators to assume near-human thumb movements despite the lack of anatomical studies. Here we perform an anatomical analysis of muscles and bones in the capuchin hand. Trapezo-metacarpal joint surfaces ob...