The impact of pelvicalyceal anatomy on the stone formation in patients with lower pole renal stones.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to determine whether various anatomic factors constitute a predisposition to a lower pole renal stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed the computed tomography (CT) urography of 75 patients with a single lower pole stone. Measurements were taken of the infundibulopelvic angle (IPA), infundibular width (IW), infundibular length (IL) and calyceopelvic height (CPH). RESULTS: The mean patient age was 50 years (range 17-79 years). The mean stone size was 11.9 mm. The mean IPA using Sampaio method in affected kidney was 113.4 ± 15.3o (range 80-139o), 59.5 ± 17.3o using Elbahnasy method. The values of IPA on the contralateral kidney were 119.86 ± 15.37o (range 79-141o; p = = 0.001) using Sampaio method of measurement and 59.78 ± 12o (range 34-90 o; p = 0.465) using the method described by Elbahnasy. We reported statistically significant differences between stone-bearing kidney and contralateral kidney in measurement IPA using only Sampaio method. The mean infundibular width was 4.22 ± 1.81 mm on the affected kidney and 3.72 ± 2.5 mm on the contralateral side (p = 0.164). The mean infundibular length was 15.37 ± 4.57 mm on the affected kidney and 14.66 ± 4.35 mm on the unaffected side (p = 0.329). The CPH was 10.19 ± 4.05 mm on the affected kidney and 10.44 ± 3.83 mm on the normal side (p = 0.688). CONCLUSIONS: Pelvicalyceal morphology of the kidney is one of the factors that determine the risk of developing kidney stones. Out of the analysed morphological parameters of kidney IPA is a statistically significant risk factor to form lower pole kidney stones. Other anatomic parameters did not seem to have a significant role in predisposing to form lower pole kidney stone. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 1: 16-21).

The abducens nerve: its topography and anatomical variations in intracranial course with clinical commentary.

BACKGROUND: The sixth cranial nerve (CN VI) - or the abducens nerve - in humans supplies only the lateral rectus muscle. Due to its topographic conditions, including angulations and fixation points along its course from the brainstem to the lateral rectus muscle, the CN VI is vulnerable to injury. Every case of CN VI palsy requires precise diagnostics, which is facilitated by an understanding of the anatomy. The present article's aims include a detailed study of the intracranial course of the CN VI, determination of occurrence of its particular anatomical variations, as well as presentation of some essential anatomical conditions which may conduce to CN VI palsy. Special emphasis was put on the correlation between craniometric measurements and a particular variation of the CN VI, which complements the data that can be found in literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty randomly selected specimens of cadaveric heads fixed in a 10% formalin solution were studied. The study used 40 specimens of the CN VI in order to examine its course variations within the section between the pontomedullary sulcus and the superior orbital fissure. RESULTS: Detailed analysis of the CN VI topography and anatomy in its intracranial course revealed 3 anatomical variations of the nerve in the studied specimens. Variation I, found in 70% of cases, covers those cases in which the CN VI was found to be a single trunk. Those cases in which there was a branching of the CN VI exclusively inside the cavernous sinus were classified as variation II, occurring in 20% of cases. Cases of duplication of the CN VI were classified as variation III, found in 10% of the specimens. In 75% of cases of CN VI duplication one of the nerve trunks ran upwards from the petrosphenoidal ligament, outside Dorello's canal. CONCLUSIONS: The CN VI throughout its intracranial course usually runs as a single trunk, however, common variations include also branching of the nerve in the cavernous sinus or duplication. Topographic relations of the CN VI with adjacent structures account for the risk of injuries which may be caused to the nerve as a result of a disease or surgical procedures.

Morphology and a proposed model of innervation of the human deltoid muscle: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The deltoid muscle (DM) plays an essential role in retaining the stability and correct function of the upper limb. The aims of the study were to perform a detailed morphological analysis of the DM including its innervation, structure, attachments and relationship with adjacent structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out on 17 formalin-fixed cadavericupper limbs. After dissection of the shoulders, the DM was visualised and analysed.The following measurements of the muscle were performed for all cases: width of attachments (acromial, clavicular, spinal), entire width of origin, length of the component parts (acromial, clavicular, and spinal) and length of the arm. RESULTS: In all specimens, a characteristic 'segmented' innervation scheme of the DM was observed. The axillary nerve (AN) was always divided into an anterior branch (abAN) and a posterior branch (pbAN). Two variations of the DM innervation were distinguished: variation I, where the clavicular and the acromial parts were innervated by the abAN, while the spinal part was supplied both by abAN (anterior fibres) and by pbAN (posterior fibres), and variation II, in which the spinal part did not have double innervation - the abAN innervation area covered only the acromial and clavicular parts, and the entire spinal part was supplied by pbAN. Both variations had a segmented arrangement of sub-branches reaching individual parts of the DM, which was particularly distinct in the clavicular and acromial parts. Correlations were found between the entire width of the DM originand the length of the arm (p = 0.001), between the length of the acromial part of the DM and the length of the arm (p = 0.003), between the width of the spinal attachment and the length of the spinal part (p = 0.002), and between the width of the spinal attachment and the length of the arm (p = 0.0008). CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed the existence of a characteristic segmented innervation scheme of the DM which corresponds with the segmented morphology of its individual parts. An analysis of the internal structure of the muscle specific architectonics based on the tendon system was also presented.

Proliferative activity of gastric epithelial cells in Helicobacter pylori infected children.

Helicobacter pylori infection has been associated with gastric carcinogenesis. Gastric epithelial cells proliferative rate is accelerated in H. pylori infected adult patients. Our study was performed to evaluate proliferative cell activity in gastric epithelium in the course of H. pylori infection in the early stage of its natural history. Gastric antral biopsy specimens were obtained from thirteen H. pylori positive and seven negative children. To assess replication rates we used nucleolar organiser regions staining with colloidal silver nitrate technique (AgNOR). The number of AgNORs per nucleus, area of single AgNOR, and the quotient of these two parameters (AgNOR content) were analysed. The mean area of AgNOR was lower in H. pylori positive than in negative children. Conversely, both the mean number of AgNOR per nucleus and AgNOR content were higher in infected than non infected subjects. These results show accelerated proliferation of gastric antral epithelial cells in the course of H. pylori infection in children. Such alteration of cell replication occurring in an initial phase of natural history of long lasting infection provides an explanation for the association between acquisition of H. pylori infection in the first years of life and the development of gastric cancer.

[The effect of prolonged spinal cord compression on the extent of morphological changes in experimental spinal cord injury in rabbits]. / Wplyw przedluzajacego sie ucisku na rozleglosc zmian morfologicznych w doswiadczalnym, urazowym uszkodzeniu rdzenia kregowego u królika.

The analysis of early spinal cord decompression influence on the extent of morphological and microvascular changes after traumatic cord injury was the subject of this study, carried out on Polish-breed rabbits divided into two groups. Microvascular changes were evaluated in the first group of 20 animals and morphological changes in the second group of 36 rabbits. The injury causing paraplegia was performed at D9-D10 level by Allen method modified. Every group was subdivided into 4 subgroups depending on the duration of cord compression 2, 4, 6 and 12 hours. Fragments of cord were taken for examination 12 hours after decompression, from sites 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 cm distant from the injury level. Histopathological analysis was performed by light and electron microscopy and for the analysis of microcirculation with microangiography the Górkiewicz method was used. Great changes were found in nerve fibres, vascular endothelium and microcirculation. The most pronounced lesions were found in the subgroup with 6-hour compression, in the form of haemorrhage, central necrosis and oedema within and around axona as well as destruction of myelin sheaths. Early decompression (within 6 hours) can reduce the extent of morphological and vascular changes.

Effects of ethylene glycol on the ultrastructure of hepatocytes.

The ultrastructure of rat hepatocytes after acute experimental ethylene glycol poisoning was examined. On the 1st, 5th and 14th days after poisoning the material from the centrolobular zone (zone III) was collected. Proliferation and enlargement of SER at the early period of poisoning and evidence of mitochondrial damage both at the early and late time after ethylene glycol intoxication were found. In the liver extensive capillary deposits surrounded by membranes were seen, filled with flocculent material of middle electron density. The results show destruction of the cytoplasmic organelles, especially mitochondria, on the 1st and 5th days after ethylene glycol intoxication, and symptoms of damage removing together with regeneration on the 15th day of the experiment.

Colloidal gold-RNase labeling of RNA in regenerating rat liver hepatocytes.

During the early liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy, distinct changes of the transcriptional activity of hepatocyte nuclei are observed. Changes in the proportion of dense fibrillar component (DFC) and granular component (GC) of nucleoli are related to pre-rRNA synthesis. The RNase-gold ultracytochemical method was applied to localize RNA molecules in thin sections of regenerating rat liver hepatocyte nuclei. The method allowed for the detection of pre-rRNA molecules at the periphery of fibrillar centers (FC). The distribution of colloidal gold-RNase complexes in combination with quantification of labeling density demonstrated the highest transcriptional activity of nucleoli 18 hours following partial hepatectomy.

Some ultrastructural aspects of Helicobacter pylori gastritis.

Ultrastructural examinations of biopsy specimens of the gastric mucosa were performed in 20 patients with chronic gastritis proven by endoscopy and microscopy. The presence of the Helicobacter pylori bacteria was found in close contact with epithelial cells of the antrum and corpus of the stomach. The bacteria were not present in the areas of frequently observed intestinal metaplasia. There were ultrastructural changes on the surface and within the cytoplasm of the epithelial mucous cells, which indicated their disturbed metabolism.

Distribution of argyrophilic proteins in the nuclei of hepatocytes.

The ultrastructural study on the distribution of argyrophilic proteins of hepatocytes was carried out. Because it has been suggested that the numbers of silver grains were connected with transcriptional activity of nucleoli, we used in our studies as a model the regenerating liver. Among extranucleolar structures affinity to silver interchromatin granules and weakly perichromatin granules was demonstrated. Deposits of silver grains were always located within dense fibrillar components and fibrillar centers. Our study does not enable to indicate a direct relationship between numbers of silver grains deposits and transcriptional activity of nucleoli.

Electron microscopic study of the rat liver after its orthotopic and auxiliary syngeneic transplantation.

Results of electron microscopic studies on orthotopic and auxiliary syngeneic liver transplants in rats are presented. Examinations were performed about 50 d after both types of liver transplantation. The results obtained in auxiliary transplants in the form of collagenisation within intracellular and Disse's spaces, focal hepatocyte degeneration, the appearance of numerous myelin structures in the form of membranes, and increase in number of microvilli on the hepatocyte surface together with their elongated shape indicate a disadvantageous influence of the host's liver on the transplant. In orthotopically transplanted livers only proliferation of biliary canaliculi and degeneration of hepatocytes at low grade were observed.

Ultrastructure of hepatocyte nuclei in irradiated, adrenalectomized rats.

A cytochemical study of hepatocyte nuclei of adrenalectomized and irradiated rats were performed. After irradiation alone the behaviour of the ribonucleoprotein components was studied according to Bernhard. The findings suggested that a delay occurs in the synthesis of preribosomal RNA in the nucleoli and in the transport of messenger RNA to the cytoplasm. The indirect effect of ionizing radiation on nuclear RNA synthesis is assumed to occur through the influence of cortical steroid hormones on the transcription process.

Ultrastructural appearances of nephron damage in acute poisoning with ethylene glycol.

Renal biopsy material from five patients with acute ethylene glycol poisoning was taken five, 10, 16 and 22 days following poisoning and examined by electron microscopy. We found extensive crystal deposits in glomerular interloop spaces. In some of the tubules crystal accumulation seemed independent of time following poisoning. No morphological markers of reabsorption were found in the tubules tightly filled with crystals, while tubules with empty lumen had signs of enhanced reabsorption. In the early period of poisoning there were signs of epithelial damage while in the late periods, signs of epithelial regeneration prevailed. The results provide new information on the pathogenesis of anuria in acute poisoning with ethylene glycol.

Morphology of nuclear ribonucleoproteins in the early period of liver regeneration after irradiation.

Cytochemical study of hepatocytes nuclei of the liver irradiated with a dose of 650 rad and irradiated after partial hepatectomy was performed. Morphological exponents of the intensive synthesis of preribosomal RNA in the nucleolus, as well as the transcription of heterogeneous RNA contained in perichromatin fibrils were revealed under the ionizing radiation effect. The behavior of perichromatin granules in the course of the experiment suggests delay in the transport of messenger RNA to cytoplasm, influenced by gamma radiation. Nuclear bodies were observed very often in nuclei of hepatocytes of irradiated animals.