Vol 151, No 1 (2017)

Structural changes in CA1 and CA3 areas of ventral hippocampus were studied in 12- and 24-month-old rats (n = 20). Paraffin sections of the brain were stained by Nissl’s method, and the proportion of shrunken neurons with hyperchromatic cytoplasm was calculated. Changes of inducible and endothelial NO-synthases (iNOS, eNOS) expression were registered. In old (24 months) rats, most pronounced signs of neuronal damage were observed in the hippocampal CA3 pyramidal layer. The proportion of shrunken neurons with hyperchromatic cytoplasm was increased, while the relative density of neurons was decreased. The neurons demonstrated the pericellular edema and vacuolization of cytoplasm. The increased expression of iNOS was detected in the neurons of CA3 pyramidal layer while eNOS expression in CA1 and CA3 was decreased both in neurons and endothelial cells of microcirculatory bed vessels as compared to that in young (12 months) animals.

Right ventricular papillary muscles (PMs) were studied with the help of stereomicroscope in 94 heart specimens of human fetuses at gestational weeks 16-28. Three topographic groups of PMs were found in the right ventricle: anterior, posterior and septal, the latter group comprising anteroseptal and posteroseptal PMs. Data on the incidence of PMs, their sizes and tendinous cord distribution are presented. It was shown that PMs of different topographic groups had unique anatomical features. Anterior PMs were mainly free large muscles with solid base, one to three apices and the largest amount of apical tendinous cords. Posterior PMs were characterized by monolithic or, less commonly, split base, while the number of their apices, as a rule, did not exceed two. The height and width of posterior PMs were relatively smaller than those of the anterior PMs but exceeded the same dimensions of the septal muscles. Typically, the septal wall of the right ventricle had little monoapical muscles with the solid base, both free and fixed. The terminological uncertainty in the description of PMs is emphasized as one of the possible reasons for the discrepancy of the results obtained by different researchers.

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of Semax, a synthetic ACTH analogue (ACTH), on the liver parenchyma in chronic immobilization stress. The peptide was administered by intraperitoneal injection to male Wistar rats at doses of 5, 50, 150 and 450 μg/kg body weight 15 min before exposure to stress in the form of 2 hour-long immobilization during 5 days. Morphometric examination showed that this stress exposure induced the development of liver hydropic dystrophy. Injection of the peptide at the dose of 5 μg/kg produced no significant changes in the liver poststress state. Increase of the dose to 50 and 150 μg/kg resulted in the improvement of hepatocyte state in the central and peripheral regions of the lobules, with the persistence of residual areas of hydropic dystrophy in the intermediate region. Further increase of the peptide dose to 450 μg /kg did not lead to normalization of the parenchyma structure. Thus, under the conditions of chronic immobilization stress, intraperitoneal administration of Semax at the doses of 50 and 150 μg/kg demonstrated a stress-limiting hepatoprotective effect.

Male fertility is associated with the characteristics of spermatogenesis, particularly with sperm morphology. The aim of this study was to analyze morphological characteristics of sperm cells in relation to their motility, as well as to compare incidence of morphological sperm defects in young men with normal and impaired spermatogenesis. Morphological characteristics of sperm cells were analyzed in young men (n = 111, age: 21.0±0.2 years) according to WHO «strict criteria» (2010). Among morphological abnormalities of sperm cells, the head defects (amorphous or vacuolated head) and acrosome and midpiece abnormalities predominated. In the group of men with reduced sperm motility (asthenozoospermia), the proportion of sperm cells with abnormal acrosome was higher than in norm. In the group of men with reduced sperm concentration, reduced proportion of motile and morphologically normal sperm cells (asthenooligoteratozoospermia), the increased percentage of sperm cells with abnormal acrosome, vacuolated and bent heads, thickened midpiece, cytoplasmic droplet, coiled and short tail was observed. In the group of men with normal sperm parameters, there was a negative correlation between the incidence of acrosome abnormalities and the percentage of motile sperm cells, while in the group of men with asthenozoospermia no correlation was found between the incidence of any morphological defects and the percentage of motile sperm cells. In the group of men with asthenooligoteratozoospermia, negative correlation was detected between the percentage of motile sperm cells and the incidence of of bent heads, coiled and short tails. The data obtained indicate a connection between morphological parameters and sperm motility. Increased incidence of acrosome morphological abnormalities may serve as a morphological marker of impaired spermatogenesis.

The objective of research was to study topographic-anatomical characteristics of the intervertebral canal. A total of 37 anatomical preparations were studied, which included 185 intervertebral canals of cervical spine section compexes of people who died at the age 58-78 years. A histological study of 32 preparations of ligament structures was performed. 5 pairs of true cervical intervertebral canals were detected in C-C segments. Average parameters of intervertebral channels were as follows: length - 1.46-2.0 mm, external aperture - 0.8-1.4 mm, internal aperture - 0.4-0.8 mm. Histological study confirmed that the examined structures were ligaments, their diameter varied from 0.1 to 0.3 mm, and their length varied from 0.4 to 0.6 mm. Intervertebral canals can be divided into three groups: canals with clearly identified true ligaments (46%); canals with additional false ligaments (fibrotic bands) which compress the spinal nerve (43%); and canals without ligaments but with bone and fibrous outgrowths compressing the spinal nerve (11%).

The study was performed on 486 male students of the Northeast State University (Magadan) aged 17-21, Caucasoid, born in the region in the 1st-2nd generations. Basic somatometric characteristics and indices were analyzed with regard to the peculiarities of central hemodynamics as well as and dependence between the type of blood flow and the body constitution. On the base of the cardiac index and the examined sample was divided into 3 groups according to the type of blood circulation. Among the examined students, 47% had a hypokinetic type of circulation, 41% - eukinetic, and 12% - hyperkinetic type. The largest body dimensions were observed in the group with hypokinetic type of circulation, the smallest - in the group with hyperkinetic type. Eukinetic subjects had intermediate body parameters. It was established that individuals with different types of central hemodynamics had specific somatotypological profiles: in the line from hypokinetic to hyperkinetic type of circulation, the strength of body build decreased while the incidence of asthenic type increased. Thus, formation and manifestation of certain types of central hemodynamics in a population is strongly conditioned by the body constitution.

Macro-microscopical and histological methods were used to study the lingual glands. The tongue was obtained from cadavers of 299 people (149 men and 150 women) of different ages. The number of glands was counted in different parts of the tongue, length and width of their secretory portions, the number of gland cells and the percentage of stroma were determined. These data were compared in the anterior and posterior thirds of the tongue in infants, in early childhood, in youths, in the individuals of 1st adult age and in the elderly persons. It was found that the lingual glands reached their maximal size in the 1st period of adulthood. It was shown that the number and size of the lingual glands increased backwards (from the lingual tip to the root). Excretory ducts formed an S-shaped bend and opened between the folds of the mucous membrane and in the lingual tonsil crypts.