Sahar N. Saleem

Africa is the continent with the smallest number of doctors, including radiologists, per capita. This chapter is an incomplete window on remarkable women in neuroradiology in Africa which highlights success and challenges. These women function as crucial role models. There is tremendous opportunity for wealthier countries where neuroradiology is well established to support institutions and individuals in the developing world through subsidisation of online teaching and evaluation platforms, attendance at international conferences and collaborative research and training endeavours. The Derek Harwood Nash International Fellowship (RSNA) provides an opportunity for radiologists to study at North American institutions. The Global Learning Centre established by the RSNA in Tanzania and the Emory University collaboration in Ethiopia both offer two-year neuroradiology fellowships in Africa. The Anne G. Osborn International Outreach Professor Program (ASNR) exposes visiting professors directly to the societal and healthcare problems.

Introduction: The Screaming Mummy of Cairo Egyptian-Museum Store, is an anonymous woman with a wide-open mouth coded as CIT8, discovered beneath Theban Tomb 71 (TT71) which is the burial site of Senmut’s relatives, the architect of 18th-Dynasty Queen Hatschepsut (1479–1458 BC). The study aims to evaluate if combining computed tomography (CT) with scientific investigations and archeological data of the Screaming Mummy CIT8 will reveal information about its physical appearance, health, cause of death, and mummification.Methods: We CT-scanned the mummy and created reconstructed images. Scanning-Electron-Microscope (SEM), Fourier-Transform-Infrared-Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray-Diffraction-Analysis (XRD) were used to investigate mummy skin, hair, and wig samples. We compared our findings to previous data.Results: Computed tomography estimated the age of death to be 48.1 years ±14.6 based on the pubic symphyseal surface. CT detected mild-to-moderate teeth attrition, and joints degeneration. The desiccated brain and viscera remained in situ. FTIR revealed the wig is formed of midrib date palm that shows in CT as spiral low density fibers. The wig fibers are partially coated with a thick substance that is inspected as black consolidation and identified as crystalline by XRD, comparable to material found in an ancient wig-making workshop. FTIR showed that the skin, hair, and wig samples were treated with imported juniper resin had anti-bacterial and insecticidal properties. The skin and wig samples contained frankincense, and the hair sample contained henna.Discussion: Combining the advantages of paleoradiology to the scientific investigations, provided enhanced comprehension of the mummy CIT8 and ancient Egyptian wig structure and material. CT scanning non-invasively showed the mummy’s inner and exterior morphology, and estimated the age of death as 48 years. CT evaluated the mummification technique based on retained viscera and absence of embalming packs. The scientific tests revealed expensive imported embalming materials, contradicting the traditional belief that the non-removal of the viscera implied poor mummification, resulting in careless embalmers sealing the mouth. The widely opened mouth could be a result of facial expression of suffering before death, fixed by cadaveric spasm. The study also explores how rigor mortis, tissue decomposition, burial techniques, and postmortem alterations may contribute to a mummy’s screaming appearance.

Ancient Egyptian mummies represent an opportunity to learn more about the health, beliefs, and skills of humans in antiquity. A fully wrapped mummy, from a Late Ptolemaic cemetery (c.332-30 BC) in Edfu, Egypt, has been stored, unexamined, at the Cairo Egyptian Museum since 1916. We hypothesized that scanning and 3D-printing the mummy using Computed Tomography (CT) could help in documenting and promoting its public display. CT enabled non-invasive digital unwrapping and revealed a well-preserved mummy. Biological sex could be determined from the presence of male genitalia; epiphyseal fusion and tooth eruption indicated an approximate age at death of 14–15 years. The deceased had healthy teeth and bones without evidence of poor nutrition or disease. CT detected a high-quality mummification process that included brain removal through an iatrogenic defect of the cribriform plate and viscera removal via a left lower-abdominal incision. The heart remained in the chest as a spiritual symbol. Resin was poured into the emptied cranial and torso cavities, and linen packs were placed inside the torso. The Mummy’s external ornamentation includes a gilded head mask, a pectoral cartonnage, and a pair of sandals. CT identified 49 amulets inside the mummy and between the wrappings, arranged in three columns. The amulets have 21 different shapes, including Udjat, scarabs, Ajet, Djed-pillar, Tyt, Placenta, Double-Plume, and Right-angle. CT densities indicated that 30 (61%) amulets were metal (likely gold), and the other amulets were made of faience, stones, or fired clay. The embalmers placed amulets to protect and provide vitality for the body for the afterlife. A gold tongue amulet was placed inside the mouth to ensure the deceased could speak in the afterlife. A Two-finger amulet was placed beside the penis to protect the embalming incision. 3D-printing enabled the tactile and visual study of a heart scarab found inside the thoracic cavity. Findings from this study suggest that ancient Egyptians valued their children and provided them with ritual treatment. State-of-the-art techniques such as CT and 3D printing provided valuable insights and supported the museum display of the mummy, nicknamed “The Golden Boy.”

In the present study, the effect of Lead chloride (PbCl₂) on the peroxidase and catalase activity in the tissues (liver, kidney, gills and muscles) of Cirrhinus mrigala was studied. Cirrhinus mrigala were observed at sub-lethal concentrations viz. 1/3^rd LC₅₀ and 1/7^th LC₅₀ for 28 days. After chronic exposure fishes were dissected and sampling weekly. The activity of peroxidase enzyme was increased significantly (p-1, 0.676±0.016 UmL^-1, 0.489±0.005 UmL^-1 and 0.339±0.006 UmL^-1 in liver, kidney, gills and muscles of fishes exposed to 1/3^rd LC₅₀ respectively. The catalase enzyme activity was decreased significantly in experimental fish organs as compared to control group. Minimum catalase enzyme activity was measured as 592.55±3.76 UmL^-1, 577.32±8.64 UmL^-1, 547.10±12.65 UmL^-1 and 488.21± 28.57 UmL^-1in the metal stressed liver, gills, kidney and muscles respectively, in fishes exposed to 1/3^rd LC₅₀. Catalase activity was found significantly higher in the control fish.

Introduction: Pathogenic variants in the PIEZO family member 2 (PIEZO2) gene are known to cause Gordon syndrome (GS), Marden-Walker syndrome (MWS), and distal arthrogryposis type 5 (DA5). Out of these, MWS has a recognizable phenotype that can be discerned easily, but the distinction between GS and DA5 is less evident. Few children with pathogenic PIEZO2 variants have been reported to show posterior fossa anomalies. Methods and Results: By candidate gene targeting guided by proper clinical evaluation and neuroimaging findings, a patient with classic MWS harboring a de novo novel variant (c.8237G>A, p.W2746*) in the C-terminal region of PIEZO2 was identified. In addition, another girl with the typical clinical features of GS is also described carrying the most prevalent reported variant (c.8057G>A, p.R2686H) in PIEZO2. The brain MRI of the 2 patients showed Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM). Diffusion tensor imaging visualized anteroposterior and downward aligned thin middle cerebellar peduncle. The association of DWM with arthrogryposis in the presence of PIEZO2 variants remains quite interesting and provides more evidence that PIEZO2 plays a role in the development of hindbrain although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Moreover, the 2 girls had distinct foot patterning in the form of shortening of the first and fifth toes. Conclusion: Phenotype analysis and a comprehensive review of the literature strongly support the previously published data and corroborate the evidence that heterozygous PIEZO2-related disorders represent a continuum with overlapping phenotypic features.

The mummy of King Amenhotep I (18th Dynasty c.1525–1504 BC) was reburied by the 21st Dynasty priests at Deir el-Bahari Royal Cache. In 1881 the mummy was found fully wrapped and was one of few royal mummies that have not been unwrapped in modern times. We hypothesized that non-invasive digital unwrapping using CT would provide insights on the physical appearance, health, cause of death, and mummification style of the mummy of King Amenhotep I. We examined the mummy with CT and generated two- and three-dimensional images for the head mask, bandages, and the virtually unwrapped mummy. CT enabled the visualization of the face of Amenhotep I who died around the age of 35 years. The teeth had minimal attrition. There was no CT evidence of pathological changes or cause of death. The body has been eviscerated via a vertical left flank incision. The heart is seen in the left hemithorax with an overlying amulet. The brain has not been removed. The mummy has 30 amulets/jewelry pieces including a beaded metallic (likely gold) girdle. The mummy suffered from multiple postmortem injuries likely inflicted by tomb robbers that have been likely treated by 21st Dynasty embalmers. These included fixing the detached head and neck to the body with a resin-treated linen band; covering a defect in the anterior abdominal wall with a band and placing two amulets beneath; placement of the detached left upper limb beside the body and wrapping it to the body. The transversely oriented right forearm is individually wrapped, likely representing the original 18th Dynasty mummification and considered the first known New Kingdom mummy with crossed arms at the chest. The head mask is made of cartonnage and has inlaid stone eyes. The digital unwrapping of the mummy of Amenhotep I using CT sets a unique opportunity to reveal the physical features of the King non-invasively, understand the mummification style early in the 18th Dynasty, and the reburial intervention style by 21st Dynasty embalmers. This study may make us gain confidence in the goodwill of the reburial project of the Royal mummies by the 21st dynasty priests.