Arthur Saniotis

University of Adelaide · Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Background: The leg interosseous membrane (LIM) stabilises the tibia and the fibula. These two bones articulate at the proximal and distal tibiofibular joints. In addition, the LIM is the place of attachment of tibialis anterior muscle, extensor digitorum longus muscle, fibularis tertius muscle (anatomical variant), tibialis posterior muscle and f...

Research indicates that even short duration space flight may cause deficits to psychological health. Crewed members of spaceflights are also vulnerable to various neurobehavioral problems, which may reduce psychological health, work efficiency and group cohesiveness. Mindfulness meditation as a psychological countermeasure for long-term space missi...

The mind-body relationship has long been a subject of inquiry from both philosophical and scientific perspectives. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Pythagoras and Plato posited dualistic models, where the mind and body are distinct substances. In contrast, modern approaches in Mind-Body Medicine (MBM) offer integrative models that emphasize the i...

Persistent truncus arteriosus (TA) is a congenital heart disorder that is characterized by various anomalies that can be fatal without corrective medical intervention. Surgical techniques were initially developed to correct this condition in infants, consequently, this has led to a paucity of scientific research on adults with TA. In this case stud...

The idea of cosmic and biological self-organisation with continuity as depicted in human neuroanatomy underlies the Biocosmological theorising carried out by the researchers of the Biocosmological Association, and which aligns with the universal scientific paradigm developed by Aristotle. The Stagirite was also interested in the structure and funct...

A central element pertaining to the ancient Greek myths is the relationship between intense psycho-physical states and the Greek divinities. Although the Homeric Greeks had not established the idea of a synthesised psyche which we find in Plato, they believed that there existed various entities which either resided in the chest region of humans or...

In this article we seek to integrate theories of music origins and dance with hominin fossil anatomy and the paleoecological contexts of hominin evolution. Based on the association between rhythm in music, dance and locomotion, we propose that early bipedal hominins may have evolved neurobiological substrates different from other great apes due to...

Background: An insulinoma is an endocrine tumor of the pancreas, originating from the beta cells, and has a prevalence of 4 cases per 1 million patients. Insulinomas often follow a "90% rule": 90% are benign [1, 2], 90% originate in the pancreas, 90% are approximately 2 cm wide, and 90% are isolated. Individuals with an insulinoma may have episodi...

Biotechnology has become one of the most powerful forces on the planet, since it is capable of altering life processes at a molecular level. Since human bodies are dynamic biological systems, medicine requires to understand the evolutionary antecedents of Homo, especially in relation to neurohormonal regulation. Furthermore, increasing human depend...

Greek mythology formed the basis of much of Greek philosophy, art and science. The Greeks conceptualised their universe as animated by forces and elements which they anthropomorphised as gods and other supernatural beings. However, only recently has there been increasing attention on Greek mythology as a source of advanced technological and biomedi...

The global prevalence of breast cancer reflects a profound mismatch between the evolutionary adaptations of ancestral humans and the modern lifestyle practices of contemporary society. This discrepancy is evident in the alteration of reproductive patterns and lifestyle factors, such as earlier onset of menarche, increased ovulatory cycles, shorter...

Background Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that has various clinical outcomes. Bax-interacting factor-1 ( Bif -1) is a member of the endophilin B family that generates the pro-apoptotic BCL2-Associated X (BAX) protein in response to apoptotic signals. Lack of Bif -1 inhibits the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis and enhancements the risk of t...

Background Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) has reduced HIV incidence among new-borns. However, PMTCT remains concerning in sub-Saharan Africa due to bottlenecks including viral load (VL) monitoring during pregnancy. We assessed VL coverage and materno-foetal outcomes of pregnancy among HIV-infected women within the Cameroonian co...

There exists a negative allometry between vertebrate brain size and body size. It has been well studied among placental mammals but less is known regarding marsupials. Consequently, this study explores brain/body ontogenetic growth in marsupials and compares it with placental mammals. Pouch young samples of 43 koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), 28 po...

Domestication is a process of protecting a particular set of individuals from some influences of their natural environment and managing their reproduction to suit particular needs of a domesticator. Biological characteristics of modern humans are a result of the process of auto-domestication that is continuing. Thus, they include disadvantages occu...

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the geographical distribution of TB in Erbil city, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, determine potential risk factors associated with TB distribution, and provide recommendations to improve TB control programs in the region. Methods: The records of TB patients registered at the Chest and Respiratory Disease Center...

Background The association between a plant-based diet (vegetarianism) and extended life span is increasingly criticised since it may be based on the lack of representative data and insufficient removal of confounders such as lifestyles. Aim We examined the association between meat intake and life expectancy at a population level based on ecologica...

In the western surgical tradition there has been little acknowledgement of the ancient Vedic surgeon Sushruta who initiated many aspects of surgical practice. In his compendium the Sushruta Samhita, Sushruta systematised medicine in various areas. His meticulous knowledge in many branches of medicine is evident. A brilliant surgeon, he developed pl...

Background Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease that has different clinical outcomes. Bax-interacting Factor-1 (BIF-1) is a member of the endophilin B family that produces the pro-apoptotic BCL2-Associated X (BAX) protein in response to apoptotic signals. Lack of BIF-1 inhibits the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis and increases the risk of t...

This narrative review examines the possible role of microglial cells, first, in neuroinflammation and, second, in schizophrenia, depression, and suicide. Recent research on the interactions between microglia, astrocytes and neurons and their involvement in pathophysiological processes of neuropsychiatric disorders is presented. This review focuses...

Since the middle to late 20 th century the majority of children born in the developing world have been likely to enter into post-reproductive age. Currently, child mortality is at its lowest level in human history. While more children are living to post reproductive age, approximately 15% of couples are experiencing infecundity. This is either a re...

Over the last 20 yr, neurosurgical robots have been increasingly assisting in neurosurgical procedures. Surgical robots are considered to have noticeable advantages over humans, such as reduction of procedure time, surgical dexterity, no experience of fatigue and improved healthcare outcomes. In recent years, neurosurgical robots have been develope...

The human brain is commonly considered unique in its growth pattern, especially in its fast growth in early infancy. Consequently, many researchers were encouraged to find peculiarities in the human brain and development which differentiated it from the brains of other animals. In this paper, we argue that the pattern of human brain growth is not d...

The novel pathogen Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has created a global crisis. Currently, the limits of public health systems and medical knowhow have been exposed. COVID-19 has challenged our best minds, forcing them to return to the drawing board. Fear of infection leadin...

For several decades, anatomists and biological anthropologists have made an intensive study in anatomical variations in ancestral and living humans. While many anatomical variants do not require clinical attention, some may present diagnostic problems or augur adverse symptoms. It is only in the last few decades that a plausible argument has been m...

Dear Editor, The use of the psychedelic Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) has again provoked scientific debate over its efficacy and safety. In the 1950s-1960s LSD was used in psychotherapy for treating depression, anxiety related to terminal cancer, addiction, and pain. (...)

Extant humans are currently increasing their genetic load, which is informing present and future human microevolution. This has been a gradual process that has been rising over the last centuries as a consequence of improved sanitation, nutritional improvements, advancements in microbiology and medical interventions, which have relaxed natural sele...

The growing area of military bio-technologies, especially the use of cogniceuticals, raises several ethical concerns for military physicians. These include the role of military physicians in prescribing amphetamines whose long-term effects are largely unknown, and the possible undermining of the ethic of “do no harm,” since amphetamines may diminis...

Since their development, auditory, visual and pain-reducing neuroprosthetic devices have improved the lives of thousands of patients. Further advances in motor neuroprosthetics are attempting to restore motor functions in tetraplegic, limb loss and brain stem stroke paralysis subjects. This has been clinically feasible by simulating the conditions...

Our article explains some of the misgivings of the agricultural revolution. Generally speaking, growing crops was not a good idea. It had a negative impact on human health and pathed the way for many social problems which have remained.

Human intelligence has been theorized since the ancient Greeks. Plato and Aristotle incorporated theories of human intelligence into their metaphysical and cosmological theories which informed the social and medical sciences for centuries. With the advent of the 20th century, human intelligence became increasingly standardized based on Intelligence...

Keywords: Meta-analysis, Cystic fibrosis, Randomized clinical trial, CFTR F508del, N1303K and W1282X Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of middle east CFTR gene mutations in CF pat...

Evolutionary psychiatry is a small discipline which has yet to have an established integrative framework. Current global prevalance of various psychopathologies demands new ways for thinking them in terms of both proximate and ultimate causal levels. The author argues that evolutionary psychiatry can lead to developing a more integrative and compre...

Mandibular foramen is an irregular foramen located above the center on the medial surface of the ramus, containing the inferior alveolar nerve. This study aimed at determining the position of the mandibular foramen in adult Ethiopian populations. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine and Healt...

Improvement in workplace safety is dependent upon the active engagement of workforce leaders and designers. The university sector plays a key role in the education of these future leaders, and there is an expectation that safety education in universities will encompass more than just a safe learning environment—that is the nurturing of broader safe...

Recent neuroscientific research demonstrates that the human brain is becoming altered by technological devices. Improvements in biotechnologies and computer based technologies are now increasing the likelihood for the development of brain augmentation devices in the next 20 years. We have developed the idea of an “Endomyccorhizae like interface” (E...

Exposure to extreme heat is a familiar seasonal experience for many rural communities across Australia, which is projected to increase in frequency and intensity with climate change. This has wide-ranging implications for community health and well-being, livelihoods, recreation, and the natural and built environments. In this study, we have examine...

This article will argue that future outer space flight may cause micro-evolutionary changes to the human body, and will explain the nature of these changes from the point of view of evolutionary medicine. Initial adaptation will be protracted with considerable problems to long term outer space flight, especially inter-generational outer space trave...

Objectives Evolutionary medicine is a growing field focusing on the evolutionary basis of human diseases and their changes through time. The introduction of concepts of long- and short-term evolution into the medical curricula is essential to acknowledge the variability of human biology. Methods Three courses of the EM taught at the University of Z...

Consumption of fats and oils in the ancient world was examined as a window to human nutritional needs and compared with lipid usage in the modern world, post-1900. In earlier periods, the natural and only source of edible fats and oils came from both animals and plants. These fats and oils played a vital role in the evolution of the human body stru...

Objective: The septal nuclei are important limbic regions that are involved in emotional behavior and connect to various brain regions such as the habenular complex. Both the septal nuclei and the habenular complex are involved in the pathology of schizophrenia and affective disorders. Methods: We characterized the number and density of calretinin-...

Stakeholder workshops were held in Adelaide, South Australia to explore means of building community resilience to heatwaves which, with climate change, will become more frequent, intense and lengthy. The workshops highlighted lessons learnt during the disastrous 2009 south-eastern Australia heatwave, knowledge gaps, and policy areas in need of deve...

There has been an increasing medical interest in Muslim religious practices in promoting well-being. Central to Muslim religious practices are salat (prayer) and dhikr (chanting). These two religious forms may be argued as comprising elements of mind/body medicine due to their positive effect on the psychoneuroimmunological response. The aim of thi...

The issue of brain augmentation has received considerable scientific attention over the last two decades. A key factor to brain augmentation that has been widely overlooked are the complex evolutionary processes which have taken place in evolving the human brain to its current state of functioning. Like other bodily organs, the human brain has been...

Dopamine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in the pathology of schizophrenia. The revised dopamine hypothesis states that dopamine abnormalities in the mesolimbic and prefrontal brain regions exist in schizophrenia. However, recent research has indicated that glutamate, GABA, acetylcholine, and serotonin alterations are also involved in th...

At present, various national populations are now at different stages of the demographic transition. This transition may have far-ranging consequences for future humans. With the envisaged artificial support for human life, the significance of these non-metabolic processes may increase. Though the Earth is a thermodynamically open system receiving e...

Background Despite acclimatisation to hot weather, many individuals in Australia are adversely affected by extreme heat each summer, placing added pressure on the health sector. In terms of public health, it is therefore important to identify vulnerable groups, particularly in the face of a warming climate. International evidence points to a dispar...

Dopamine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in the pathology of schizophrenia. The revised dopamine hypothesis states that dopamine abnormalities in the mesolimbic and prefrontal brain regions exist in schizophrenia. However, recent research has indicated that glutamate, GABA, acetylcholine, and serotonin alterations are also involved in th...

Dopamine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in the pathology of schizophrenia.The revised dopamine hypothesis states that dopamine abnormalities in the mesolimbic and prefrontal brain regions exist in schizophrenia. However, recent research has indicated that glutamate, GABA, acetylcholine, and serotonin alterations are also involved in the...

Creativity is an important skill that graduates of medical and health science courses require to address challenges of their professions. This study used a non-traditional special tool to test skills of creativity, learned prediction and reasoning of undergraduate students of health sciences in an Australian university. It was the questionnaire wit...

In many cultures the human body can be viewed as a connecting pattern for negotiating bio-social and cosmological constructions. The human body provides a cartography of the cosmos and mediates between the visible and hidden worlds, the domestic and wild domains. The body provides a way of embodying the non-human and sacred Other, thereby enabling...

Among the challenges for rural communities and health services in Australia, climate change and increasing extreme heat are emerging as additional stressors. Effective public health responses to extreme heat require an understanding of the impact on health and well-being, and the risk or protective factors within communities. This study draws on li...

Telecounselling - the provision of counselling services by telephone, videoconferencing or Internet media - can assist with disparities in the treatment and management of depression for minority ethnic groups. We therefore reviewed the evidence examining the effectiveness of telecounselling for this population. This involved a search of electronic...

Background: With a warming climate, it is important to identify sub-populations at risk of harm during extreme heat. Several international studies have reported that individuals from ethnic minorities are at increased risk of heat-related illness, for reasons that are not often discussed. Objective: The aim of this article is to investigate the...

Evolutionary medicine in its classical form assumes that since cultural evolution is faster than biological evolution, ailments of modern people are a result of mismatch between adaptations to the past environments and current situations. A core principle is that we, humans, having evolved for millions of years in a specific natural environment (en...

South Australia is challenged with one of the driest and hottest climates in Australia, and the impacts of anthropogenic climate change are expected to seriously exacerbate existing risks from heat waves, water shortages, and inundation. Adaptation to these climate change risks are now broadly accepted as necessary and unavoidable, and although a b...

Human anatomical structures show a wide range of variability. Also, secular trends of human anatomy (and pathology) have been frequently reported and are of foremost interest (e.g. for surgeons). However, the variability of human morphology is often neglected in traditional medical curricula. Recently, we presented our novel full semester medical s...

Since prehistory, the genus Homo has used technologies in order to enhance fitness. With the growth of bio-technologies, western medicine is improving the structure and function of the human body beyond its natural state. Bio-technological improvements in the next 50 yr promise further increases in human life span and performance. Notwithstanding t...

Studies conducted at Muslim shrines in India have often examined the level of social harmony between Muslims and Hindus. Such studies have been invaluable to the study of pilgrimage shrines in India. While there have been various explorations of the Nizamuddin shrine in Delhi, India, there has been no analysis of the village called the Nizamuddin b...

Modern evolutionary biology has been founded by Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin who independently proposed that natural selection was a principle driving force of life on earth. While over a century of research into evolutionary biology has revealed a substantial amount of knowledge on life on earth, the discipline has been mainly informed...

Biological development of children and youths is undergoing microevolutionary changes in the 21st century as a consequence of changes in health care, nutrition and family environment. The most striking of those changes is the acceleration of growth and maturation producing adult bodies in early teenagers that, in modern systems of prolonged educati...

Record breaking heat waves have been recorded in Adelaide, Australia in recent years and climate change would likely increase the frequency, duration and severity of heat waves. This paper describes the governance and institutional arrangements during the development of an adaptation strategy (herein referred to as heat-health policy) for heat wave...

Sufi healing practices have drawn scant anthropological attention in recent years. While Sufis engage in mystical practices, their role as healers and diviners forms a central aspect of their role. This paper examines Sufi divination techniques, and how they imbue a sense of existential mastery. I also explore the relationship between mystical prac...

Recent scholarly interest in religions and ecology reaffirm the importance of religious models in understanding humanity’s place in nature. While Islam provides detailed ethical principles on the environment, the majority of Muslim majority countries show an apparent indifference to environmental issues. Due to the complexities in Muslim majority c...

The advent of evolutionary medicine in the last two decades has provided new insights into the causes of human disease and possible preventative strategies. One of the strengths of evolutionary medicine is that it follows a multi-disciplinary approach. Such an approach is vital to future biomedicine as it enables for the infiltration of new ideas....

While anthropologists have carefully documented various Sufi orders, the bulk of these studies focus on socio-historic and organisational aspects of Sufism. This has been especially the case of Sufis in India. There is an apparent lack of examining experiential aspects Sufi mystical practices. In India, many Sufi orders are intrinsically linked wit...

The number of people living alone is increasing markedly. Others live as couples only, couples with child(ren) and single adult with child(ren). Health service utilisation could differ for people in different living arrangements as a result of varying levels of risk factors, health status, access to informal care and decision-making for accessing c...

The role of nanomedicine in developing therapies to combat disease and body morbidity has received a plethora of theoretical analysis. While nanomedicine has well defined therapeutic value, its role in body enhancement needs greater theoretical consideration. This article focuses on the potential marriage between nanomedicine and future body enhanc...