Impact of Aging on the Morphology of the Adrenal Gland in Rats / Impacto del Envejecimiento en la Morfología de la Glándula Suprarrenal en Ratas

SUMMARY: Aging is an inevitable biological process that affects the function of all organs, including the adrenal gland, which is essential for producing steroid hormones that regulate metabolism, stress response, and immune activation. Understanding how aging affects the morphology of this gland is crucial to developing interventions to mitigate its adverse effects. Thus, this study aimed to describe the morphoquantitative alterations of the adrenal gland in senescent Sprague Dawley rats compared to adult rats. Twelve male rats were divided into 6 adult rats aged 6 months (group A) and 6 senescent rats aged 36 months (group S). Histopathological studies, quantification of collagen fibers types I and III, and stereological analysis were performed to determine the volume density (Vv), surface area (Sv), and number (Nv) of the nuclei of the zona fasciculata cells. Adrenal gland tissue from group S presented dysplasia, metaplasia, intracellular fat accumulation, fibrosis, blood vessel dilation, and increased presence of apoptotic cells. Capsule thickening and increased collagen type I were also observed. There was a significant decrease in Vv, Sv, and Nv of zona fasciculata nuclei in group S compared to group A. The results indicate that aging induces significant morphoquantitative changes in the adrenal gland, which could contribute to the decrease in glucocorticoid production and alterations in aldosterone and cortisol secretion observed in senescence. Understanding these alterations is crucial to developing interventions that mitigate the adverse effects of aging on the endocrine system.

El envejecimiento es un proceso biológico inevitable que afecta la función de todos los órganos, incluida la glándula suprarrenal, fundamental para la producción de hormonas esteroides que regulan el metabolismo, la respuesta al estrés y la activación inmunológica. Comprender cómo el envejecimiento afecta la morfología de esta glándula es crucial para desarrollar intervenciones que mitiguen sus efectos adversos. Así, el objetivo de este estudio fue describir las alteraciones morfocuantitativas de la glándula suprarrenal en ratas Sprague Dawley senescentes comparadas con ratas adultas. Se utilizaron 12 ratas macho, divididas en dos grupos: 6 ratas adultas de 6 meses de edad (grupo A) y 6 ratas senescentes de 36 meses de edad (grupo S). Se realizaron estudios histopatológicos, cuantificación de fibras de colágeno tipos I y III y análisis estereológicos para determinar la densidad de volumen (Vv), de superficie (Sv) y de número (Nv) de los núcleos de las células de la zona fasciculada. El tejido de la glándula suprarrenal del grupo S presentó displasia, metaplasia, acumulación de grasa intracelular, fibrosis, dilatación de vasos sanguíneos y mayor presencia de células apoptósicas. También se observó un engrosamiento de la cápsula y un incremento del colágeno tipo I. Hubo una disminución significativa en Vv, Sv y Nv de los núcleos de la zona fasciculada en el grupo S en comparación con el grupo A. Los resultados indican que el envejecimiento induce cambios morfocuantitativos significativos en la glándula suprarrenal, lo que podría contribuir a la disminución en la producción de glucocorticoides y alteraciones en la secreción de aldosterona y cortisol observadas en la senescencia. Comprender estas alteraciones es crucial para desarrollar intervenciones que mitiguen los efectos adversos del envejecimiento en el sistema endocrino.

Comparative Anatomy of the Vomeronasal Organ (VNO) in Sheep (Ovis aries) and Dogs (Canis familiaris) with Simple Reference to its Histological Structure and Vasculature Supply

SUMMARY: The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is located in the anteroinferior part of the nose and the accessory olfactory organ in mammals which is responsible of sense of smell. This study aims to compare the macro and microanatomical structure of the VNO between sheep and dogs. In the current study, we used ten adult slaughtered sheep and ten adult synchronized dogs with different sexes ages 1-2 years. The head of both animals were preserved in 10 % formalin for one week. This study shows in both animals, the VNO occupies the same position in the cavity of the vomer bone and the same relationship in the cranial part of the nasal cavity. Furthermore, the VNO is divided into three parts based on shape that are the rostral, central, and caudal part. The results show the VNO in sheep has a (U) shape and is opened dorsolaterally. It has a small and narrow cavity. It is long 6 cm long, and it has different diameters on its course. In comparison, the vomeronasal organ in dogs is very developed and has a (J) shape. It has a large and long cavity and ends at the fourth molar. Its length is about 10 cm, and it has one diameter on its course. The VNO receives the blood supply from the sphenopalatine and caudal palatine arteries. The present study shows main differences between sheep and dogs VNO in which the structure of vomeronasal bone between the sheep and dog is completely different. The finding will illustrate fundamental differences and provide specific structural differences between the two species.

El órgano vomeronasal (OVN) se encuentra en la parte anteroinferior de la nariz y el órgano olfativo accesorio en los mamíferos es responsable del sentido del olfato. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo comparar la estructura macro y microanatómica del OVN entre ovejas y perros. En el estudio utilizamos diez ovejas adultas y diez perros adultos de diferentes sexos con edades de 1 a 2 años. Las cabezas de ambos animales se conservaron en formol al 10 % durante una semana. Este estudio mostró que en ambos animales, el OVN ocupa la misma posición en la cavidad del hueso vómer y la misma relación en la parte craneal de la cavidad nasal. Según su forma el OVN se divide en tres partes: rostral, central y caudal. Los resultados mostraron que el OVN en las ovejas tiene forma de (U) y está abierto dorsolateralmente. Presenta una cavidad pequeña y estrecha. Además, tiene una longitud de 6 cm y tiene diferentes diámetros en su recorrido. En comparación, el órgano vomeronasal en los perros está muy desarrollado y tiene forma de (J). Presenta una cavidad grande y larga y termina en el cuarto molar. Su longitud es de unos 10 cm y tiene un diámetro distinto en su recorrido. El OVN recibe el suministro de sangre de las arterias esfenopalatina y palatina caudal. El presente estudio muestra las principales diferencias entre el OVN de ovejas y perros en el que la estructura del hueso vomeronasal entre estos dos animales es completamente diferente. Además, los hallazgos ilustran diferencias fundamentales y determinan diferencias estructurales específicas entre las dos especies.

Morphological characteristics of clinically rare cerebral aneurysms and arterial bifurcations / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To discuss the morphological characteristics of three types of clinically rare cerebral aneurysms and arterial bifurcations.Methods A total of 17 patients with clinically rare cerebral aneurysms,including anterior cerebral artery-pericallosal artery aneurysms(ACA-PA aneurysms,n=8),internal carotid artery-anterior choroidal artery bifurcation aneurysms(ICA-AChA aneurysms,n=5)and vertebral artery-posterior inferior cerebellar artery bifurcation aneurysms(VA-PICA aneurysms,n=4),who received treatment in the Shijiazhuang People's Hospital between January 2017 and April 2020 were enrolled in this study.The clinical baseline data were recorded,and the morphological parameters of the aneurysms were determined.The bifurcation angle,small lateral angle and large lateral angle were defined as φ1,φ2 and φ3,respectively.D1,S1 and T1 represented the diameter,cross-sectional area and tortuosity of the main blood vessel,respectively.D2,S2 and T2 were defined as the corresponding parameters of the branch vessel forming small lateral angle with the main vessel.D3,S3 and T3 were the corresponding morphological parameters of the contralateral branch vessel.Results All of the ICA-AChA and VA-PICA bifurcation aneurysms were type D aneurysms and oriented towards the small lateral angle.Six ACA-PA bifurcation aneurysms were type C aneurysm,and 5 of them were oriented toward the small lateral angle.The S2 and φ2 of the ACA-PA and ICA-AChA bifurcations harboring aneurysms were significantly smaller than S3 and φ3(P＜0.05),while T2 was remarkably largerthan T3(P＜0.05).The VA-PICA bifurcations also showed a similar manifestations.Conclusion These three types of clinically rare cerebral aneurysms are mostly oriented towards the small lateral angle,and the diameter and cross-section area of the branch forming small lateral angle with parent artery were smaller than those of the contralateral branch vessel,while the tortuosity was greater than that of the contralateral branch.

Digital characteristics of brainstem morphology and age-related development in young children / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Previous brain studies have mostly focused on adults and fetuses,and the developmental characteristics of young children's brainstems have rarely been studied. OBJECTIVE:To observe the brainstem development characteristics of healthy young children and to explore the age-related differences and their correlation with sex. METHODS:From January 2019 to April 2022,a retrospective study of 3.0T MRI images of 174 children aged 2 to 6 years in the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University was conducted,and the median sagittal diameter,area and angle of the brainstem(including midbrain,pons and medulla oblongata)were measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There is an age-related increase in the anterior and posterior diameters of the midbrain,pons and medulla oblongata in the 2-5 years old group as well as in the longitudinal diameter and area of the midbrain,pons and medulla oblongata in the 2-6 years old group.Except for the longitudinal diameter of the medulla oblongata,all others show a positive correlation with age(r>0,P<0.05).In the 2-3 years old group and 4-5 years old group,the children are in the rapid growth and development stage,and these two age groups can be used as the key observation indicators for the development of young children.The anterior-posterior diameter,longitudinal diameter,area of the pons and total brainstem area are strongly correlated with age,which can be used as the key observation indicators for the brainstem development in young children.

Clinical significance of digital measurement of occipital condyle and foramen magnum in children / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Due to the young age of children,the occipital condyle and foramen magnum are not fully developed,and they are prone to various diseases and injuries in the occipitocervical junction,which requires surgical treatment in severe cases.However,anatomical parameters for the development of the occipital condyle and foramen magnum in children are lacking. OBJECTIVE:To measure the morphological structure of the occipital condyle and foramen magnum by three-dimensional reconstruction technique,and to provide important anatomical parameters for occipitocervical junction lesions,related surgical procedures and forensic identification. METHODS:Imaging data of 389 cases of primitive children and adolescents involved in skull base undergoing spiral CT scanning(247 males and 142 females)aged 1-18 years were collected and divided into 1-3-year-old group,4-6-year-old group,7-9-year-old group,10-12-year-old group,13-15-year-old group,and 16-18-year-old group according to their age.Mimics 16.0 software was used to reconstruct the skull base and measure the length and width of the foramen magnum.A formula was used to calculate the area and index of the foramen magnum.We measured the length,width and height of the occipital condyle,the angle between the long axis and the sagittal axis of the occipital condyle(O-S angle),the included angle between the midpoint of the front and back edges of the foramen magnum and the connection between the back edge of occipital condyle and the intersection point of the foramen magnum(F-O angle),and the included angle between the midpoint of the front and back edges of the foramen magnum and the midpoint of the back wall of the sublingual neural tube(F-H angle).Gender,side and age differences were analyzed among the indicators. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In foramen magnum measurement,there was no significant difference between sexes in the index of the foramen magnum(P>0.05),but there were significant differences in length,width and area of the foramen magnum(P<0.05).(2)The O-S angle,F-O angle and F-H angle of the occipitral condyle were not significantly different between genders(P>0.05),but length,width and height of the occipital condyle were significantly different between genders(P<0.05).(3)There were no significant differences in the length of the occipital condyle among different groups(P>0.05),but there were significant differences in the width and height of the occipital condyle,O-S angle,F-O angle and F-H angle among different groups(P<0.05).(4)Length,width and area of the foramen magnum,length,width and height of the occipital condyle showed a wavy increasing trend with the increase of age,while O-S,F-O and F-H angles showed a wavy decreasing trend with the increase of age,while the index of the foramen magnum showed no significant change.(5)In conclusion,there are gender and lateral differences in the morphological indexes of the foramen magnum and the occipital condyle in children.These differences can provide an important reference for clinical surgical approach selection and forensic examination.

Imaging analysis of anatomical morphological risk factors for posterior cruciate ligament injury of the knee / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that posterior cruciate ligament injuries are associated with the anatomical morphology of the knee joint. OBJECTIVE:To explore anatomical morphological risk factors for posterior cruciate ligament injury. METHODS:The imaging data of 142 patients who visited Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University for knee joint problems from January 2015 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.They were divided into posterior cruciate ligament injury group(n=71,including 49 males and 22 females)and posterior cruciate ligament intact group(n=71,including 49 males and 22 females).Intercondylar notch width,intercondylar notch height,bicondyle width,notch width index,angle of intercondylar notch,Blumensaat's line inlication angle,medial tibial spine height,lateral tibial spine height,tibial spine width,tibiofemoral consistency index,tibial plateau anterior-posterior diameter,medial tibial depth and patellar tendon-tibial shaft angle were measured on MRI images.Posterior tibial slope was measured on X-ray images.The above indicators were included in the logistic regression analysis for investigation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Univariate logistic regression analysis in men showed that tibial spine width,tibiofemoral consistency index,medial tibial depth,and posterior tibial slope were associated with posterior cruciate ligament injury(P<0.05).Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that tibiofemoral consistency index and medial tibial depth were associated with posterior cruciate ligament damage(P<0.05).(2)Univariate logistic regression analysis in women showed that medial tibial spine height,lateral tibial spine height,tibial spine width,and posterior tibial slope were associated with posterior cruciate ligament injury(P<0.05).Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that posterior tibial slope was associated with posterior cruciate ligament damage(P<0.05).(3)The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that tibiofemoral consistency index,medial tibial depth and posterior tibial slope had a certain predictive value on posterior cruciate ligament damage.(4)These findings suggest that anatomical morphological risk factors for posterior cruciate ligament injury differ between men and women,and tibial spine width and posterior tibial slope are common risk factors.In the male population,abnormal tibial spine width,tibiofemoral consistency index,medial tibial depth,and posterior tibial slope are easy to induce posterior cruciate ligament injury.In the female population,abnormal medial tibial spine height,lateral tibial spine height,tibial spine width,and posterior tibial slope are easy to induce posterior cruciate ligament injury.Clinicians can use the above risk factors to identify abnormal knee morphology,assess people at risk of posterior cruciate ligament injury,and provide preventive advice and guidance for treatment.

Micro-CT analysis of distribution and structural characteristics of bone trabeculae in the calcaneus / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:The calcaneus is located in the lower posterior part of the foot and is heavily stressed.Calcaneus is complex and irregular in shape,surrounded by thin cortical bone and filled with a large number of trabeculae.The study of the microstructure,movement,and distribution of trabeculae is helpful to improve the understanding of calcaneus fracture. OBJECTIVE:The image data of calcaneus were obtained by scanning the calcaneus specimens with micro-computed tomography,and the structure of trabecular bone in calcaneus was analyzed to explore the morphology,distribution and structural characteristics of trabecular bone in calcaneus. METHODS:Dry adult calcaneus specimens were continuously scanned by micro-computed tomography,and the images were obtained after scanning and stored in DICOM format.Image data were imported into Hiscan Analyzer software to display clear and complete images of the sagittal plane,coronal plane,and the horizontal plane of the adult calcaneus.The trabecular movement of bone was observed layer by layer.According to the trabecular movement characteristics,the sagittal plane of the calcaneus was divided into six parts.A 49-mm2 region of interest was selected for each part at the same thickness as 7 mm.The three-dimensional microstructure of calcaneus and trabecular bone was obtained after three-dimensional reconstruction.After binarization,the volume fraction,surface density,trabecular thickness,trabecular space,and trabecular number parameters of the trabecular bone in the region of interest were calculated by software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The cortical layer of the calcaneus was very thin and filled with a large amount of cancellous bone,and the cortical layer of the horn of Gissane was obviously thickened.(2)The trabecular volume fraction in the upper part of the calcaneus was greater than that in the anterior part of the lower part of the calcaneus,the central triangle,the posterior part of the lower part of the calcaneus,and the base of the calcaneus,and the trabecular volume fraction in the tubercle of the calcaneus was greater than that in the anterior part of the lower part of the calcaneus,the central triangle,the posterior part of the lower part of the calcaneus,and the base of the calcaneus.The surface density of the trabecular bone in the tubercle of the calcaneus was higher than that in the front of the lower calcaneus,the middle triangle area,and the bottom of calcaneus,and the surface density of the trabecular bone in the upper part of calcaneal bone,and the lower part of the calcaneus was higher than that in the middle triangle area.The thickness of the trabecular bone in the upper part of the calcaneus was greater than that in the tubercle of the calcaneal bone.The bone trabecular space in the middle triangle was larger than that in the upper part of the calcaneus and calcaneal tubercles.The number of bone trabeculae in the calcaneal tubercles was greater than that in the middle triangle area.(3)These results indicate that the trabeculae of rod bone were mainly distributed in the middle triangle area.The surface density of trabeculae was the smallest,the volume fraction was smaller,and the space between trabeculae was the largest.This part of the bone is relatively loose.The compression resistance is poor when subjected to high impact.The trabecular bone fractures first occur,which is a prone site for fractures.

Measurement and characterization of retinal vascular morphology parameters based on artificial intelligence automated analysis technology / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To analyze retinal vascular parameters and distribution characteristics in Chinese population via the fully automated quantitative measurement of retinal vascular morphological parameters based on artificial intelligence technology.Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed.A total of 1 842 patients without fundus diseases who visited Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2011 to December 2021 were included.Standardized questionnaires, blood draws and ophthalmologic examinations of enrolled subjects were conducted.Color fundus photographs centered on the optic disk of one eye of patients were collected, and a deep learning-based semantic segmentation network ResNet101-Unet was used to construct a vascular segmentation model for fully automated quantitative measurement of retinal vascular parameters.The main measurement indexes included retinal vascular branching angle, vascular fractal dimension, average vascular caliber, and average vascular tortuosity.To compare different retinal parameters between sexes, the correlation between the above parameters and ocular factors such as best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and axial length, as well as systemic factors such as sex, age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease was analyzed.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University (No.20001220). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:The model established in this study achieved an accuracy over 0.95 for both vascular and optic disk segmentation.The vascular branching angle, vascular fractal dimension, average vascular caliber, and average vascular tortuosity were (51.023±11.623)°, 1.573(1.542, 1.592), 64.124(60.814, 69.053)μm, (0.001 062±0.000 165)°, respectively.Compared with females, males had larger vascular branching angle, smaller average vascular caliber and smaller vascular tortuosity, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05). The average vascular caliber increased by 1.142 μm in people with cardiovascular disease compared to people without cardiovascular disease ( B=1.142, P=0.029, 95% CI: 0.116-2.167). The average vascular tortuosity was positively correlated with hypertension ( B=3.053×10 -5, P=0.002, 95% CI: 1.167×10 -5-4.934×10 -5) and alcohol consumption ( B=1.036×10 -5, P=0.014, 95% CI: 0.211×10 -5-1.860×10 -5) and negatively correlated with hyperlipidemia ( B=-2.422×10 -5, P=0.015, 95% CI: -4.382×10 -5-0.462×10 -5). For each 1-mm increase in axial length, there was a decrease of 0.004 in vessel fractal dimension ( B=-0.004, P<0.001, 95% CI: -0.006--0.002), a decrease of 0.266 μm in the average vessel caliber ( B=-0.266, P=0.037, 95% CI: -0.516--0.016), and a decrease of -2.45×10 -5° in the average vessel tortuosity ( B=-2.45×10 -5, P<0.001, 95% CI: -0.313×10 -5--0.177×10 -5). For each 1.0 increase in BCVA, there was an increase of 3.992° in the vascular branch angle ( B=3.992, P=0.004, 95% CI: 1.283-6.702), an increase of 0.090 in vascular fractal dimension ( B=0.090, P<0.001, 95% CI: 0.078-0.102) and a decrease of 14.813 μm in the average vascular diameter ( B=-14.813, P<0.001, 95% CI: -16.474--13.153). Conclusions:A model for retinal vascular segmentation is successfully constructed.Retinal vessel parameters are associated with sex, age, systemic diseases, and ocular factors.

Effects of gestational diabetes mellitus on brain development and miRNAs expression profile in neonatal mice / 中国儿童保健杂志

【Objective】 To study the effects of gestational diabetes (GDM) on morphological structure of brain tissue and microribonucleotide (miRNA) expression profile in neonatal mice, and to provide a new research target for the prevention and treatment of abnormal neurodevelopment in GDM progeny. 【Methods】 The pregnant mice were divided into model group and control group,each group consisted of 10 mice. The model group mice established a GDM model by injecting streptozotocin to measure fasting blood glucose (FPG) and random blood glucose (GLU) at different times. Successful molded mice were randomly divided into model group A and model group C, and control mice were divided into control group B and control group D, with 5 mice in each group. The newborn mice in groups A and B were used for hippocampal tissue GeneChip detection and brain morphology structure observation, and group C and D newborn mice were used for qRT-PCR detection of hippocampus tissue expression differences to verify the differentially expressed genes of miRANs obtained by GeneChip screening. After giving birth, the neonatal mice were sacrificed by decapitation, and the brain tissue was dissected to observe the overall morphological structure. The structural changes of hippocampus were observed under HE chromogenic microscope. The Agilent mouse miRNA oligonucleotide gene chip was used to detect the miRNA expression profile of mouse hippocampus, screen differential miRNAs and predict their target genes, and conduct GO analysis and signal transduction pathway analysis of target genes. The relative expression levels of the screened miRNAs were verified by qRT-PCR. 【Results】 Compared with the control group, the GLU increased significantly from the 3rd day after drug administration in the model group (P<0.01). Macroscopic observation of control group B mice had normal brain morphology and structure, smooth appearance, clear gyrus, close arrangement of hippocampus cell structure, uniform staining and complete structure; in model group A, the number of hippocampus cells decreased, loose arrangement and deep staining. In the initial screen of miRNA microarray, there were 11 differentially expressed miRNAs between control and model groups, all of which were downregulated miRNAs, including let-7b-5p、miR-130b-3p、miR-181c-5p、miR-181d-5p、miR-3099-3p、miR-3470a、miR-3473a、miR-3473b、miR-500-3p、miR-532-5p、miR-7047-5p(P<0.05). Two miRNAs (miR-3473b, miR-7047-75p) and 5 target genes (MAPK3, MAPK11, MAPK14, CALM3, AKT3). The relative expression of miR-3473b and miR-7047-5p in model group C were lower than that in control group D (t=19.13 and 6.24, P<0.05), and the validation results were consistent with the microarray test results. 【Conclusion】 Compared with the offspring of normal pregnant mice, GDM offspring mice have abnormal development of brain structure and damage of hippocampal nerve cells, and there are a large number of abnormal expression of miRNAs in hippocampal tissue. Differentially expressed miRNAs can be used as research targets for prevention and treatment of GDM offspring neurodevelopmental abnormalities.

Effects of sodium pyruvate on the morphology, structure and function of erythrocytes stored in vitro in type 2 diabetes rats / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To observe the effect of RBC preservation solution with sodium pyruvate on the morphology, structure and function of RBC stored in vitro in type 2 diabetes rats. METHODS: Thirty SPF male SD rats, were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10): non-T2DM conventional RBC preservation solution (group A), T2DM conventional RBC preservation solution (group B) and T2DM sodium pyruvate RBC preservation solution (group C). The leukoreduced RBC from the tail vein and stored for 0 d (T0), 7 d (T1), 14 d (T2), 21 d (T3) and 28 d (T4) to detect the morphology, structure and the contents of 2, 3-DPG, reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactic acid (LA) of RBC in group A, B and C. The RBC stored for 14 days in vitro were labeled with PKH26, and its survival rate were tested in vivo at 1, 4, 10 and 16 hours after intravenous infusion. RESULTS: At T0, the RBC morphology of group A was intact, which was better than that of group B and group C. With the extension of storage time, the morphology of RBC in each group gradually transformed into a spindle-spherical shape. Compared with group A, the incidence of acanthocytes in group B and group C was higher, and the incidence of acanthocytes in group C was lower than that in group B. Compared with group A, the content of 2, 3-DPG in group B and group C decreased, while ROS and MDA increased at different time points (P<0.05). The content of 2,3-DPG in group C was higher than that in group B (P<0.05), and the contents of ROS and MDA were lower than those in group B (P<0.05). LA content in group B was higher than that in group A and group C (P<0.05). At T2-T4, the LA content in group C was lower than that in group A (P<0.05). The survival rate of RBC in group A was higher than that in group B and C, and the survival rate of RBC in group B was lower than that in group C (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Sodium pyruvate added RBC preservation solution has a certain protective effect on RBC stored in vitro in type 2 diabetic rats, and its mechanism may be related to its antioxidant effect.

Analysis of cerebral gray matter structure in multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica / 解剖学报

Objective The volume and cortical thickness of gray matter in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) were compared and analyzed by voxel⁃based morphometry (VBM) and surface⁃based morphometry (SBM), and the differences in the structural changes of gray matter in the two diseases were discussed. Methods A total of 21 MS patients, 16 NMO patients and 19 healthy controls were scanned by routine MRI sequence. The data were processed and analyzed by VBM and SBM method based on the statistical parameter tool SPM12 of Matlab2014a platform and the small tool CAT12 under SPM12. Results Compared with the normal control group (NC), after Gaussian random field (GRF) correction, the gray matter volume in MS group was significantly reduced in left superior occipital, left cuneus, left calcarine, left precuneus, left postcentral, left central paracentral lobule, right cuneus, left middle frontal, left superior frontal and left superior medial frontal (P<0. 05). After family wise error (FWE) correction, the thickness of left paracentral, left superiorfrontal and left precuneus cortex in MS group was significantly reduced (P<0. 05). Compared with the NC group, after GRF correction, the gray matter volume in the left postcentral, left precentral, left inferior parietal, right precentral and right middle frontal in NMO group was significantly increased (P<0. 05). In NMO group, the volume of gray matter in left middle occipital, left superior occipital, left inferior temporal, right middle occipital, left superior frontal orbital, right middle cingulum, left anterior cingulum, right angular and left precuneus were significantly decreased (P<0. 05). Brain regions showed no significant differences in cortical thickness between NMO groups after FWE correction. Compared with the NMO group, after GRF correction, the gray matter volume in the right fusiform and right middle frontal in MS group was increased significantly(P<0. 05). In MS group, the gray matter volume of left thalamus, left pallidum, left precentral, left middle frontal, left middle temporal, right pallidum, left inferior parietal and right superior parietal were significantly decreased (P<0. 05). After FWE correction, the thickness of left inferiorparietal, left superiorparietal, left supramarginal, left paracentral, left superiorfrontal and left precuneus cortex in MS group decreased significantly (P<0. 05). Conclusion The atrophy of brain gray matter structure in MS patients mainly involves the left parietal region, while NMO patients are not sensitive to the change of brain gray matter structure. The significant difference in brain gray matter volume between MS patients and NMO patients is mainly located in the deep cerebral nucleus mass.

BMP7 overexpression lentiviral vector construction and its effect on calcification of mouse aortic smooth muscle cells / 局解手术学杂志

Objective To construct a lentiviral vector for overexpression of bone morphogenetic protein 7(BMP7)in mice,and the effect of BMP7 overexpression on the expression of Jagged1 in mouse aortic endothelial cells and the calcification of the co-cultured vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)were analyzed.Methods According to the target gene information Mouse-BMP7(NM_007557.3)and plasmid information pLVX-zsGreen-C1,gene sequence synthesis was carried out to construct BMP7 overexpression lentivirus.The efficiency of BMP7 overexpression lentivirus infection was detected by qPCR;the expression of Jagged1 protein in aortic endothelial cells from infected mice was detected by Western blot.The endothelial cells with lentivirus overexpressing BMP7 were co-cultured with VSMCs,and the calcification of VSMCs was observed by alizarin red staining.Results BMP7 overexpression lentiviral vector was successfully constructed and transfected into aortic endothelial cells.qPCR test results showed that the expression level of BMP7 mRNA was significantly increased in the BMP7 overexpression group than that in the normal control group(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference in the expression of BMP7 mRNA between the empty vector control group and the normal control group(P>0.05).Western blot results showed that the expression level of Jagged1 protein in endothelial cells of mouse in the BMP7 overexpression group was significantly lower than that in the normal control group(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference in the expression level of Jagged1 protein in endothelial cells between the empty vector control group and the normal control group(P>0.05).The results of alizarin red staining showed that the calcification of VSMCs was significantly increased after co-cultured with endothelial cells infected with BMP7 lentivirus.Conclusion Mouse BMP7 overexpression lentiviral vector was successfully constructed,and overexpression of BMP7 can reduce the expression of Jagged1 in mouse aortic endothelial cells and promote the calcification of co-cultured VSMCs.

Value of CT radiomics combined with morphological features in predicting the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer / 中国医学物理学杂志

Objective To explore the predictive value of CT radiomics and morphological features for the prognosis and survival in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients.Methods The clinic data of 300 NSCLC patients(300 lesions)were downloaded from the Cancer Imaging Archive,with 210 randomly selected as the training set and 90 as the test set.According to the prognosis and survival,the patients were divided into two groups with survival period≤3 and＞3 years.3D Slicer software was used to delineate the regions of interest layer by layer in CT images,and the radiomics features were extracted from each region of interest.Both t-test and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were utilized for radiomics feature screening.Three types of prediction models,namely radiomics model,morphological model and combined model,were constructed with Logistic regression,whose performances were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The differences in radiomics labels and mediastinal lymph node metastasis between the training set and the test set were statistically significant.For radiomics model,morphological model and combined model,the area under the ROC curve was 0.784(95%CI:0.722-0.847),0.734(95%CI:0.664-0.804)and 0.748(95%CI:0.680-0.815)in the training set,and 0.737(95%CI:0.630-0.844),0.665(95%CI:0.554-0.777)and 0.687(95%CI:0.578-0.797)in the test set,which demonstrated that radiomics model had the best diagnostic performance.Conclusion The CT radiomics model can effectively predict the prognosis and survival in NSCLC patients.

The Impact of Morphological Awareness on Reading and Spelling / O Impacto da Consciência Morfológica na Leitura e na Ortografia

ABSTRACT: Morphological awareness is characterized by the ability to intentionally reflect and manipulate morphemes. The present study aimed to characterize the development of morphological awareness in school-age children and to analyze its impact on reading and spelling. The sample was comprised of 60 children with typical language development in Portuguese primary schools with a mean age of 8.6 (standard deviation = 0.1), 30of which attended the 2nd grade and 30 the 4th grade. The data was analyzed considering the use of language assessment instruments, reading and spelling and morphological awareness tests adapted from other studies. The results showed a significant difference in morphological awareness between the 2nd grade and the 4th grade. Although with different statistical proportions, there was a positive correlation between morphological awareness and reading, and between this metalinguistic capacity and spelling in both groups. An association is suggested between morphological awareness and reading and spelling and a difference in this correlation between the two degrees.

RESUMO: A consciência morfológica é caracterizada pela capacidade de refletir e manipular intencionalmente os morfemas. O presente estudo visou caracterizar o desenvolvimento da consciência morfológica em crianças em idade escolar e analisar o seu impacto na leitura e na ortografia. A amostra foi composta por 60 crianças portuguesas com desenvolvimento linguístico típico a frequentar o 1º ciclo do Ensino Básico, com uma média de idades de 8,6 anos (desvio padrão = 0.1), 30 das quais frequentam o 2º ano e 30 o 4º ano. Os dados foram analisados com recurso a instrumentos de avaliação linguística, leitura e ortografia e testes de consciência morfológica adaptados de outros estudos. Os resultados mostraram uma diferença significativa na consciência morfológica entre o 2º ano e o 4º ano. Embora com diferentes proporções estatísticas, houve uma correlação positiva entre consciência morfológica e leitura, e entre esta capacidade metalinguística e ortográfica em ambos os grupos. É sugerida uma associação entre consciência morfológica e leitura e ortografia e uma diferença nesta correlação entre os dois anos de escolaridade.

Morphological Classification of the Sagittal Tendon Plate in the Soleus Muscle in Japanese Cadavers / Clasificación Morfológica de la Lámina Tendinosa Sagital del Músculo Sóleo en Cadáveres Japoneses

SUMMARY: The human soleus muscle has attracted attention in the fields of sport science, rehabilitation medicine, etc. for improving exercise performance in training, preventing injuries, and rehabilitation. The sagittal tendon plate of the soleus muscle is particularly important in rehabilitation. Few studies, however, have evaluated the shape of the sagittal tendon plate in the human soleus muscle in detail and attempted to classify its variations based on its morphology. In this study, we conducted a detailed analysis of the morphology of the sagittal tendon plates in soleus muscle specimens from Japanese cadavers and constructed a morphology-based classification system and evaluated their frequencies of occurrence. First, the specimens were divided into those with a sagittal tendon plate that was visible on the anterior surface (pennate muscle group) and those without (non-pennate muscle group). Next, based on the "number" and "breadth" of the sagittal tendon plates, the pennate muscle group specimens were further classified into four classes: Class I (one tendon, thin), Class II (one tendon, slightly broad), Class III (one tendon, very broad), and Class IV (two tendons, thin). Subsequently, the specimens were further divided into three types based on the position where the sagittal tendon plate joined the Achilles tendon: median tendon type, lateral tendon type, and medial tendon type (a total 13 divisions). When 458 Japanese soleus muscle specimens were classified into these divisions, the occurrence frequencies of Class I-IV were 80.57 %, 4.59 %, 5.46 %, and 1.09 %, respectively. In Class I, the median tendon type was more frequent than the lateral and medial tendon types, accounting for 48.47 % overall. The classification types of the sagittal tendon plate and their respective occurrence frequencies shown in this study are expected to serve as fundamental data in implementing rehabilitation of soleus muscle.

El músculo sóleo humano ha atraído la atención de la ciencia del deporte, la medicina de rehabilitación, etc. para mejorar el rendimiento del ejercicio en el entrenamiento, prevenir las lesiones y rehabilitación. La lámina tendinosa sagital del músculo sóleo es particularmente importante en la rehabilitación. Sin embargo, pocos estudios han evaluado en detalle la forma de la placa lámina sagital en el músculo sóleo humano y han intentado clasificar sus variaciones en función de su morfología. Realizamos un análisis detallado de la morfología de las láminas de los tendones sagitales en muestras de músculo sóleo de cadáveres japoneses y construimos un sistema de clasificación basado en la morfología y, además, evaluamos su frecuencia de aparición. Los especímenes se dividieron en aquellos con una lámina de tendón sagital que era visible en la superficie anterior (grupo muscular pennado) y aquellos sin (grupo muscular no pennado). A continuación, según el "número" y el "ancho" de las láminas de los tendones sagitales, las muestras del grupo de músculos pennados se clasificaron en cuatro clases: Clase I (un tendón, delgado), Clase II (un tendón, ligeramente ancho), Clase III (un tendón, muy ancho) y Clase IV (dos tendones delgados). Posteriormente, las muestras se dividieron en tres tipos, según la posición donde la lámina del tendón sagital se unía al tendón calcáneo: tipo de tendón mediano, tipo de tendón lateral y tipo de tendón medial (un total de 13 divisiones). En estas divisiones se clasificaron 458 especímenes de músculo sóleo de indiviuos japoneses, las frecuencias de ocurrencia de Clase I-IV fueron 80,57 %, 4,59 %, 5,46 % y 1,09 %, respectivamente. En la Clase I, el tipo de tendón mediano era más frecuente que los tipos de tendón lateral y medial, representando el 48,47 % del total. Se espera que los tipos de clasificación de la lámina del tendón sagital y sus respectivas frecuencias de aparición, que se reportan en este estudio, sirvan como datos fundamentales para implementar la rehabilitación del músculo sóleo.

Changes in brain gray matter volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy in long-term follow-up

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the changes in gray matter in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with normal hearing (Group 1) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with hearing loss (Group 2) after radiotherapy using voxel-based morphological analysis and to analyze the relationship with the radiation doses of the temporal lobe. Methods 21 patients in Group 1, 14 patients in Group 2, and 21 healthy volunteers were selected. All participants underwent an otologic examination and three-dimensional magnetization preparatory rapid acquisition gradient echo sequence scan. The correlation between the variation of whole brain gray matter volume and the doses of the temporal lobe was analyzed by Data Processing & Analysis for Brain Imaging software. Results Compared with the normal control group, the brain areas with reduced gray matter volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy were mainly in the left posterior cerebellar lobe (T = −8.797), left insular lobe (T = −7.96), and the right insular lobe (T = −6.632). Compared to Group 1, the brain areas of Group 2 patients with reduced gray matter volume were mainly in the left superior temporal gyrus (T = −2.366), left olfactory bulb (T = −2.52), left Rolandic operculum (T = −2.431), and right olfactory bulb (T = −3.100). Compared with Group 1, the brain areas of Group 2 patients with increased gray matter volume were mainly in the left calcarine sulcus (T = 3.425) and right calcarine sulcus (T = 3.169). There were no correlations between the changes of brain gray matter volume and the radiation doses of the temporal lobe in both Group 1 and Group 2. Conclusions The radiotherapy may cause the changes of brain areas associated with cognitive function in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a long-term follow-up. At the same time, nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with the radiation-induced hearing loss had abnormal gray matter volumes in the auditory center and other sensory centers. Our findings might provide new understanding into the pathogenesis of radiation-induced brain damage in normal-appearing brain tissue. Yet this exploratory study should be taken with caution.

Crista Galli Morphometry and Morphology: An Anatomical, Radiological, and Machine Learning Application Study / Crista Galli Morfometría y Morfología: Un Estudio de Aplicación Anatómica, Radiológica y de Aprendizaje Automático

SUMMARY: The study purposed to examine the morphometry and morphology of crista galli in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and apply a new analysis, supervised Machine Learning techniques to find the answers to research questions "Can sex be determined with crista galli morphometric measurements?" or "How effective are the crista galli morphometric measurements in determining sex?". Crista galli dimensions including anteroposterior, superoinferior, and laterolateral were measured and carried out on 200 healthy adult subjects (98 females; 102 males) aged between 18-79 years. Also, crista galli was classified with two methods called morphological types and Keros classification. In this study, the Chi-square test, Student's t-test, and Oneway ANOVA were performed. Additionally, Machine Learning techniques were applied. The means of the CGH, CGW, and CGL were found as 14.96 mm; 3.96 mm, and 12.76 mm in males, respectively. The same values were as 13.54 mm; 3.51 mm and 11.59±1.61 mm in females, respectively. The CG morphometric measurements of males were higher than those of females. There was a significant difference between sexes in terms of morphological classification type. Also, when the sex assignment of JRip was analyzed, out of 102 male instances 62 of them were correctly predicted, and for 98 female instances, 70 of them were correctly predicted according to their CG measurements. The JRip found the following classification rule for the given dataset: "if CGH<=14.4 then sex is female, otherwise sex is male". The accuracy of this rule is not high, but it gives an idea about the relationship between CG measurements and sex. Although the issue that CG morphometric measurements can be used in sex determination is still controversial, it was concluded in the analysis that CG morphometric measurements can be used in sex determination. Also, Machine Learning Techniques give an idea about the relationship between CG measurements and sex.

En el estudio se propuso examinar la morfometría y la morfología de la crista galli del hueso etmoides usando tomografía computarizada de haz cónico (CBCT) y aplicar un nuevo análisis, técnicas de aprendizaje automático supervisado para encontrar las respuestas a las preguntas de investigación "¿Se puede determinar el sexo con mediciones morfométricas de la crista galli?" o "¿Qué tan efectivas son las medidas morfométricas de la crista galli para determinar el sexo?". Las dimensiones de la crista galli, incluidas los diámetros anteroposterior, superoinferior y laterolateral, se midieron y realizaron en 200 sujetos adultos sanos (98 mujeres; 102 hombres) con edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 79 años. La crista galli se clasificó con dos métodos llamados tipos morfológicos y clasificación de Keros. En este estudio, se realizaron la prueba de Chicuadrado, la prueba t de Student y ANOVA de una vía. Adicionalmente, se aplicaron técnicas de Machine Learning. Las medias de CGH, CGW y CGL se encontraron en 14,96 mm; 3,96 mm y 12,76 mm en hombres, respectivamente. Los mismos valores fueron 13,54 mm; 3,51 mm y 11,59 ± 1,61 mm en mujeres, respectivamente. Las medidas morfométricas del CG de los hombress fueron más altas que las de las mujeres. Hubo una diferencia significativa entre sexos en cuanto al tipo de clasificación morfológica. Además, cuando se analizó la asignación de sexo de JRip, de 102 instancias masculinas, 62 de ellas se predijeron correctamente, y de 98 instancias femeninas, 70 de ellas se predijeron correctamente de acuerdo con las mediciones de CG. El JRip encontró la siguiente regla de clasificación para el conjunto de datos dado: "si CGH<=14.4, por tanto el sexo es femenino, de lo contrario, el sexo es masculino". La precisión de esta regla no es alta, pero da una idea de la relación entre las medidas del CG y el sexo. Aunque la pregunta si las medidas morfométricas CG se pueden usar en la determinación del sexo sigue aún siendo controvertida. Se concluyó en el análisis que las medidas morfométricas CG se pueden usar en la determinación del sexo. Además, las técnicas de aprendizaje automático dan una idea de la relación entre las medidas de CG y el sexo.

Cambios morfométricos en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica fallecidos relacionados con diabetes mellitus, hipertensión arterial y obesidad

Fundamento: la enfermedad renal crónica ha incrementado su incidencia, no existen estudios en Cuba ni en la provincia sobre morfometría renal en pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica a los que se les ha practicado autopsia. Objetivo: determinar variaciones morfométricas renales en pacientes fallecidos a los que se les ha practicado autopsia en el Hospital General Universitario Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima de Cienfuegos. Método se realizó un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y retrospectivo. El universo lo conformaron 85 pacientes fallecidos a los que se les practicó autopsia y que tenían diagnóstico clínico de enfermedad renal crónica en cualquier estadio. Se trabajó con el total del universo. Las variables estudiadas fueron: edad, sexo, peso y talla para el cálculo del índice de masa corporal, antecedentes patológicos personales, el estadio clínico de la enfermedad renal crónica y la morfometría renal a cada órgano por separado, las mensuraciones realizadas fueron: peso, diámetro longitudinal, diámetro transversal, espesor o grosor de la corteza renal. Los datos se procesaron en el paquete estadístico de SSPS v. 11.5 presentándose tablas en números absolutos y porcientos. Resultados predominó el sexo femenino, en edades entre 70-79 años, con estadio clínico I y IV de la enfermedad renal crónica, los obesos representaron el 57,6 %, los hipertensos el 67,1 % y los diabéticos el 25,8 %. Hubo disminución de todas las variables morfométricas en ambos riñones, destacándose el espesor de la corteza renal. Conclusiones: existió relación entre la hipertensión, la diabetes mellitus y la obesidad con las variables morfométricas renales.

Background: chronic kidney disease has increased its incidence, there are no studies in Cuba or in the province on renal morphometry in patients with chronic kidney disease who have undergone autopsy. Objective: to determine renal morphometric variations in deceased patients who have undergone autopsy at the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima University General Hospital of Cienfuegos. Method: a descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study was carried out. The universe was made up of 85 deceased patients who underwent autopsy with a clinical diagnosis of chronic kidney disease at any stage. We worked with the whole universe. The variables studied were: age, sex, weight and height for the calculation of the body mass index, personal pathological history, the clinical stage of chronic kidney disease and renal morphometry to each organ separately, the measurements made were: weight, longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, thickness or thickness of the renal cortex. The data was processed in the statistical package of SSPS v. 11.5 presenting tables in absolute numbers and percentages. Results: the female sex predominated, aged between 70-79 years, with clinical stage I and IV of chronic kidney disease, the obese represented 57.6 %, the hypertensive 67.1 % and the diabetic 25.8 %. There was a decrease in all morphometric variables in both kidneys, highlighting the thickness of the renal cortex. Conclusions: there was a relationship between hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity with renal morphometric variables.

Morphological characteristics and pulmonary function of naval saboteurs and ground special forces of the armed forces of Montenegro / Características morfológicas y función pulmonar de saboteadores navales y fuerzas especiales terrestres de las fuerzas armadas de Montenegro

SUMMARY: The results of numerous medical and kinesiological studies indicate the existence of differences in pulmonary function in relation to age, body height, and the relationship between certain parameters of body composition. The aim of this study was to determine the state of morphological characteristics and pulmonary function of naval saboteurs and ground Special Forces of the Armed Forces of Montenegro. The sample of participants included 30 naval saboteurs aged 30.3±6 years and 30 members of the ground special forces aged 25.6±5 years. The sample of measuring instruments included 4 indicators each for the evaluation of longitudinal dimensionality, transversal dimensionality, mass and body volume, subcutaneous fat, body composition, and pulmonary function. The central and dispersion parameters of the variables were calculated. The specificities of body composition of the naval saboteurs and members of the ground Special Forces of the AF of Montenegro were determined, while the parameters of lung volume and capacity and the parameters of airway flow indicated an excellent state of their respiratory function. Furthermore, it was determined that the studied members of the armed forces had no individual health risks in the sense of the onset of obesity or obstructive ventilatory defects. The results obtained indicate the need for further studies which would predominantly focus on the impact of individual morphological measurements and parameters of body composition on pulmonary function. This would provide important data both for the armed forces in the sense of improving the training system and the realization of specific tasks, as well as for kinesiology as a science from the aspect of determining certain regularities in the functioning of the human body in specific living and working conditions in the armed forces.

Los resultados de numerosos estudios médicos y kinesiológicos indican la existencia de diferencias en la función pulmonar en relación con la edad, la altura corporal y la relación entre determinados parámetros de la composición corporal. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el estado de las características morfológicas y la función pulmonar de los saboteadores navales y de las Fuerzas Especiales terrestres de las Fuerzas Armadas de Montenegro. La muestra de participantes incluyó a 30 saboteadores navales de 30,3±6 años de edad y 30 miembros de las fuerzas especiales terrestres de 25,6±5 años. La muestra de instrumentos de medición incluyó 4 indicadores cada uno para la evaluación de dimensionalidad longitudinal, dimensionalidad transversal, masa y volumen corporal, grasa subcutánea, composición corporal y función pulmonar. Se calcularon los parámetros centrales y de dispersión de las variables. Se determinaron las especificidades de la composición corporal de los saboteadores navales y miembros de las Fuerzas Especiales terrestres de la FA de Montenegro, mientras que los parámetros de volumen y capacidad pulmonar y los parámetros de flujo de las vías respiratorias indicaron un excelente estado de su función respiratoria. Además, se determinó que los miembros de las fuerzas armadas estudiados no tenían riesgos individuales de salud en el sentido de la obesidad o defectos ventilatorios obstructivos. Los resultados obtenidos indican la necesidad de más estudios que se centren predominantemente en el impacto de las medidas morfológicas individuales y los parámetros de composición corporal en la función pulmonar. Esto proporcionaría datos importantes tanto para las fuerzas armadas en el sentido de mejorar el sistema de entrenamiento y la realización de tareas específicas, como para la kinesiología como ciencia desde el aspecto de determinar ciertas regularidades en el funcionamiento del cuerpo humano en situaciones específicas de vida. y condiciones de trabajo en las fuerzas armadas.

Morphological characteristics and motor abilities differences: first and second Montenegrin league female volleyball players / Características morfológicas y diferencias en habilidades motoras de jugadoras de voleibol de la primera y segunda liga montenegrina

SUMMARY: The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference in morphological characteristics and motor abilities of the first and second league female volleyball players. The sample comprised of 20 players of the first and 20 players of the second league. Only those female volleyball players who completed the whole measurement program were included in the sample. Subjects underwent measurement of morphological characteristics (7 variables) and motor abilities (8 variables). Statistically significant differences were determined with t-test for independent samples. The results of the research show that there are no statistically significant differences in morphological characteristics and motor abilities of the first and second league female volleyball players. The difference was found only in the variable for assessing balance in favor of first league female volleyball players.

El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar si existe una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en las características morfológicas y habilidades motoras de las jugadoras de voleibol de primera y segunda liga. La muestra estuvo conformada por 20 jugadores de primera y 20 jugadores de segunda liga. Solo se incluyeron en la muestra aquellas jugadoras de voleibol que completaron todo el programa de medición. Los sujetos se sometieron a la medición de las características morfológicas (7 variables) y habilidades motoras (8 variables). Las diferencias estadísticamente significativas se determinaron con la prueba t para muestras independientes. Los resultados de la investigación mostraron que no existían diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las características morfológicas y habilidades motrices de las jugadoras de voleibol de primera y segunda liga. La diferencia se encontró solo en la variable para evaluar el equilibrio a favor de las jugadoras de voleibol de primera división.