Carnitine deficiency.

We present the case of a female patient, aged 12 years, with fatigability and exertional myalgias, progressively developed within the last two years. Negative family history, as well as negative personal medical history, were found. At physical examination, short stature, proximal muscle weakness and mild hepatomegaly were noted. Urine ketones level was slightly decreased, serum transaminases, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels were increased. Electromyographical examination showed a myopathic non-specific pattern. Deltoid muscle biopsy revealed: small, clear vesicles are present on Hematoxylin-Eosin and modified Gömöri trichrome stains; modified Gömöri trichrome stain also revealed muscle fibers (especially type I of muscle fibers) having mild to moderate mitochondrial proliferation (red rim and speckled sarcoplasm). The lipid storage has been well demonstrated by Sudan Black stain, which revealed small lipid droplets in type I muscle fibers. Abnormal internal architecture with a punctate pattern was showed by adenine dinucleotide tetrazolium reductase and succinate dehydrogenase stains. Electron microscopy showed small inter-myofibrillar accumulations of round, amorphous, homogeneous acellular substances that are not membrane bounded. These features indicate that these are neutral fat (lipid) droplets. Subsarcolemmal accumulations of mitochondria were also revealed. The differential diagnosis of this case is discussed, and the up to date general data concerning carnitine deficiency are presented. The aim of our case-report is to emphasize the role of muscle biopsy in carnitine deficiency, as well as to remind the necessity of keeping in mind such metabolic disorders when doing the differential diagnostic of a muscular weakness.

Comparative microscopic study of the ovarian blood vessels.

The present study puts forth the morphometric analysis of modifications that occur in the ovarian structures (stroma, parenchyma, blood vessels) before and after menopause onset. Our study was performed on 30 human ovary specimens from patients with no history of genital pathology that were split in two groups (15 ovaries harvested from fertile women and 15 ovaries harvested from women at menopause). The specimens were processed following the classic histological technique of paraffin embedding and stained using Hematoxylin-Eosin technique and trichromic Goldner-Szeckelly technique. The samples were examined and assessed using Nikon E-600 light microscope. The images captured by computer were processed using LUCIA G 4.10 software. To evaluate the histological modifications, we chose the following parameters: Area Fraction of blood vessels and Circularity of blood vessels. The study shows that modifications of the ovary components are synchronized. The vascular changes that occur after menopause onset lead to a poor vascular supply of all ovarian components: germinal epithelium, ovarian follicles and ovarian stroma. The comparative morphometric analysis on premenopause and postmenopause ovarian specimens sustains the idea that the ovarian involution starts from the ovarian vessels, which are the first structures affected by hyaline degeneration.

Correlated histological and morphometric study of kidney and adrenal gland from Guinea pig exposed to hyperbaric-hyperoxic environment.

Our study revealed morphological changes in the two organs of Guinea pig kidney and suprarenal gland exposed to hyperbaric-hyperoxic environment. Proceeding from these data and knowing that in hyperbaric-hyperoxic environment the production of free oxygen radicals is increased, while the afferent arterioles undergo vasoconstriction, with direct implications on the cellular metabolism, our study puts forth the survey of the influence of hyperoxic environment on kidneys and adrenal gland - complex organs which are exposed to stress.

Cerebellar atrophy--a comparative microscopic study.

The cerebellum is required for the coordination of fine movement. In health, it provides corrections during motion which are the basis for precision and accuracy, and it is critically involved in motor learning and reflex modification. Disease of the cerebellum or its connections leads to incoordination. The study puts forth the morphometric study of cerebellum cortex and of the modifications that occur at this level during cerebellar atrophy. Our research used routine histological methods, but also special methods, adequate to the studied cerebellar cortex (silver impregnation), in order to observe the characteristic structures of the organ. We used comparative morphometric methods in order to gather data about the structural changes that occur in the cerebellar cortex during cerebellar atrophy. In order to analyze the histological modifications we determined the following parameters: thickness of the cerebellar cortex--is a derived feature appropriate for elongated or thin structures, area fraction of the molecular layer in the cerebellar cortex, number of Purkinje neurons per microscopic field and area fraction of the blood vessels per microscopic field. The reference microscopic field has an area of 280.000 microm2. Observations and conclusions that arose from this study may represent a contribution to the theoretical knowledge on which the medical practice is based.

Histological and histochemical alteration in certain Black Sea bivalves submitted to accidental pollution.

Due to their microphage capacity, two-valve shells have great biologic importance: they clean the environment of harmful microorganisms and decaying organic compounds which result in water purification, water filtering by means of adaptive structures of digestive system and, indirectly, by those of respiratory, circulatory and excretive system is of major significance. Waste materials derived from animal metabolism coalesce in larger aggregates which sink and deposit onto the bottom, thus enabling the bivalvular shells to contribute to developing and securing adequate conditions for the productive cycle of marine environment and even twining themselves into food for animals. Our study makes a histological, histochemical and histometric survey of branchia (ctenidia) of Mytilus galloprovinciallis so as to enlarge the scant body of knowledge on the topic in reference literature.

Aspects of the cell population in the skin of the guinea pig exposed to hyperbaric-hyperoxic environment.

Knowing that in hyperbaric-hyperoxic environment, the production of free oxygen radicals is increased, with the direct implications on cellular metabolism, our study follows the influence of the hyperbaric environment, a very complex organ that is exposed to directly to this environment. We used a group of 10 guinea pigs split into to lots (test and control lots). The test lot was exposed for consecutive days to an ambient pressure of 6 ATM for a period of 30 min. After 50 days both groups was given lethal doses of pentobarbital, afterwards skin was harvested and fixed into Bouin's fluid and formaline, than paraffin embedded. The slides stained with Haematoxylin-Eosin and trichromic Van Gieson. The epidermal fields examined by us revealed no significant variations of nuclear number, though the mean saturation of nuclei was significantly greater in test animals than in the control group, while the nuclear area fraction was higher in the control group. The melanin load of the epidermal cells was increased in the control animals. The presence of intraepidermal vacuoles was identified, their amount being almost double in test animals than in the control group.

Structure of the osseous callus formed under electric stimulation. An experimental histological study.

The study tried to evidence histologically, histometrically and mechanically the comparative qualities of the osseous callus experimentally formed in dogs and rabbits under the influence of an electric stimulation. The materials were decalcified or polished, and the collagen network and the Haversian systems analysed in the callus. The tearing strength in kg-power on the surface unity of the osseous tissue was measured using the EDZ 20 apparatus. The results indicated that the osseous tissue formed under electric stimulation had a structure and a tearing strength similar to that of controls, and that the consolidation time of fractures is reducing.

Epithelial mesenchymal interrelations at the skin level. A quantitative study.

Epithelial mesenchymal interrelations at the skin level were quantitatively studied by analysing the modifications of fibrocytes in the framework of total connective cells and capillaries of the dermic mesenchyme and of the number of mitoses in the epidermis. A normal group of guinea pigs was compared with a massaged one (II) and a massaged one using ointment (III). There were found significant differences between the elements of the first and those of the second and third groups, and no significant differences between the 2nd and the 3rd ones. There were established and compared the ratio of dermal fibrocytes to other connective cells, to dermal capillaries and to epidermal mitoses: the ratio remained similar in all groups. These results lead to the conclusion that dermis (expressed by its cells and capillaries) and epidermis (reflected in mitoses) have a correlated response to the mechanical action exerted in physiological limits, and that the epithelial mesenchymal dependence at the skin level is determined by the strong interrelations which are not easily modifiable.