Different doses of strontium ranelate and mechanical vibration modulate distinct responses in the articular cartilage of ovariectomized rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different strontium ranelate (SrR) doses alone or in combination with low-intensity and high-frequency mechanical vibration (MV) on articular cartilage in ovariectomized rats. DESIGN: Fifty 6-month-old female Wistar rats underwent ovariectomy (OVX) and after 3 months were divided into: control group (Control); SrR 300 mg/kg/day (SrR300); SrR 625 mg/kg/day (SrR625); MV; SrR 625 mg/kg/day plus MV (SrR625 + MV). The vehicle and the SrR were administered by gavage 7 days/week and vibration (0.6 g/60 Hz) was performed for 20 min/day, 5 days/week. Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition were evaluated by densitometry. Changes in cartilage were assessed 90 days after treatment by histomorphometry; immunohistochemistry analysis evaluating cell death (caspase-3), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and type II collagen; Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) grading system and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) analyses. RESULTS: SrR-treated groups exhibited a lower OARSI grade, a smaller number of chondrocyte clusters, increased levels of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and decreased expression of caspase-3. Additionally, compared to all the groups, SrR300 exhibited increased levels of hyaluronic acid (HA). Vibration applied alone or in combination accelerated cartilage degradation, as demonstrated by increased OARSI grade, reduced number of chondrocytes, increased number of clusters, elevated expression of type II collagen and cell death, and was accompanied by decreased amounts of CS and HA; however, MV alone was able to reduce MMP-9. CONCLUSIONS: SrR and vibration modulate distinct responses in cartilage. Combined treatment accelerates degeneration. In contrast, SrR treatment at 300 mg/kg/day attenuates osteoarthritis (OA) progression, improving cartilage matrix quality and preserving cell viability in ovariectomized rats.

[Pedicled parietal bone grafts in the facial reconstruction surgery]. / Uszypulowane przeszczepy kosci ciemieniowej w operacjach odtwórczych twarzy.

Between years 1996 and 1997, pedunculated parietal bone graft for facial reconstruction after tumor excision was used in 8 patients. The defects comprised one side of maxilla with the orbit bottom, zygomatic bone and the orbit bottom, mandibular ramus, and the whole mandible: in 4, 1, 2, and 1 patient respectively. The reconstruction was done directly after tumor excision in 6 patients and later on in the other 2. The grafts were of full thickness in 6 and of outer table in 2. Functional and cosmetic effects were considered satisfactory in 6 patients. The whole mandible reconstruction ended up with a failure due to infection and tumor recurrence.

Variability of the inferior temporal branches of the human posterior cerebral artery.

In 204 cerebral hemispheres the distribution of temporal branches were studied. These branches are: anterior inferior, intermediate medial, and posterior inferior. In most cases the inferior temporal branches arose from the posterior cerebral artery. In some cases they originated from the lateral occipital artery.

Rare case of the accessory radial artery.

The accessory radial artery passed laterally to the brachial artery and then radial artery, and finally it anastomosed with the princeps pollicis artery.

Types of terminal division of the posterior cerebral artery in man.

Investigations were made on 204 hemispheres. The posterior cerebral artery divided into 2 or three terminal branches. In most cases the artery divided into 2 branches in the form of letter Y. Division into 3 branches was observed in 9.1%.

[Evaluation of ciliary epithelium cilia in diagnosis of Kartagener syndrome]. / Ocena rzesek nablonka migawkowego w diagnostyce przypadku zespolu Kartagenera.

A case of 41 year man with Kartagener's syndrome presenting incomplete clinical symptoms of disease was described. Diagnosis was established by electron microscopy analysis of nasal mucous membrane cilia biopsy. Ultrastructurally the complete lack of dynein arms was found.

Cortical branches of the middle cerebral artery in human fetuses.

In 30 human fetuses, aged 20-31 weeks, the middle cerebral artery and its cortical branches were investigated with injection method. The cortical branches pass on the superlateral surface of the cortex and from a dense net communicating with corresponding vessels of the anterior and posterior cerebral arteries.

Rare cases of arteries branching directly from aortic arch in the man.

In the autopsy material of 118 human cadavers (67 males and 51 females), conserved in 10% formaldehyde, two cases were found in which abnormal arteries originated directly from the aortic arch. In the first case the right subclavian artery branched off the aortic arch below the left subclavian artery. In the second case, the sequence in which large arteries branched off was as follows: brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, left vertebral artery, left subclavian artery. The vascular anomalies were confronted with clinical symptoms documented in case history and in laboratory results.

[Vascularization of the lumbar spine in the human fetus]. / Unaczynienie odcinka ledzwiowego kregoslupa u plodów ludzkich.

The vascularization of the lumbar spine has been studied in 19 human fetuses of both sexes after filling of the arterial system with Micropaque. Structural radiographs were taken and lumbar arteries with their branches were marked in every segment examined. The frequency of branches incidence was described. The differences in vascularization between left and right side of the lumbar spine within medullar arteries and articular processes arteries amounted to 20 and 5 per cent respectively.

[Lateral geniculate bodies in humans--analysis of development]. / Ciala kolankowate boczne u czlowieka--analiza rozwoju.

Macroscopial and microscopial analysis of development of the lateral geniculate bodies was performed in 32 human brains of persons of various age. Their presence was revealed in all the cases. Observation of the histopahtological specimen showed---in contradistinction to the results of experimental animal investigations found in the world's literature--a lack of influence of the light stimulus on the stratification of structure of the lateral geniculate body in humans.

[Variability of the course of the anterior cerebral artery and its branches in humans]. / Zmiennosc przebiegu tetnicy przedniej mózgu i jej galezi u czlowieka.

The objective of the paper was to find out whether there is any connection between the course of the anterior cerebral artery and its branches depending on the sex and the side of the hemisphere. The investigation covered 102 brains, 47 females and 55 males. The average age was 59.7 and 55.5 years respectively. The organ was examined after having been injected with polymerizing resins with red lead as contrast medium. Radiological examinations were carried out in some selected cases. The anterior cerebral artery was prepared anatomically. The obtained results of measuring the vessels were subjected to statistical analysis. Sexual dimorfism was disclosed with regard to origin and the course of anterior cerebral artery. Larger number and diameter of branches were recorder in the left hemisphere. The greatest variation was displayed by the angles, at which the vessels were seen to branch off. Gross variation of the course of anterior cerebral artery made it impossible to differentiate the definite types of vascularization of the cerebral hemispheres. Hitherto undescribed variants of the branches of the anterior cerebral artery were observed.