Additional Morphological Criteria Research Articles

Gustation in insects: taste qualities and types of evidence used to show taste function of specific body parts.

The insect equivalent of taste buds are gustatory sensilla, which have been found on mouthparts, pharynxes, antennae, legs, wings, and ovipositors. Most gustatory sensilla are uniporous, but not all apparently uniporous sensilla are gustatory. Among sensilla containing more than one neuron, a tubular body on one dendrite is also indicative of a taste sensillum, with the tubular body adding tactile function. But not all taste sensilla are also tactile. Additional morphological criteria are often used to recognize if a sensillum is gustatory. Further confirmation of such criteria by electrophysiological or behavioral evidence is needed. The five canonical taste qualities to which insects respond are sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and umami. But not all tastants that insects respond to easily fit in these taste qualities. Categories of insect tastants can be based not only on human taste perception, but also on whether the response is deterrent or appetitive and on chemical structure. Other compounds that at least some insects taste include, but are not limited to: water, fatty acids, metals, carbonation, RNA, ATP, pungent tastes as in horseradish, bacterial lipopolysaccharides, and contact pheromones. We propose that, for insects, taste be defined not only as a response to nonvolatiles but also be restricted to responses that are, or are thought to be, mediated by a sensillum. This restriction is useful because some of the receptor proteins in gustatory sensilla are also found elsewhere.

Assessment of the content of neuroendocrine cells in the gastric mucosa in patients with autoimmune gastritis

The aim of the study was to evaluate the content of neuroendocrine cells in immunohistochemically stained preparations and determine differences in the number of neuroendocrine cells (NEC) in the body of the stomach in autoimmune gastritis (AIG) and other forms of gastritis. Material and methods. The study included 27 cases of AIG and 9 cases of chronic atrophic gastritis not associated with autoimmune mechanisms of disease. The age of the patients ranged from 36 to 77 years and averaged 54.9 years. Biopsies were taken according to accepted protocols: 2–3 biopsies from the antrum and 2 biopsies from the body of the stomach. An immunohistochemical reaction was carried out with an antibody to chromogranin A on an automatic Bond Max immunostainer (Leica, Germany). The slides were digitized on an Aperio AT2 scanner (Leica, Germany), and QuPath v.0.3.0 software for viewing and analyzing digital images of slides was used for morphometric analysis of digital images and counting. The results were processed in the Jamovi program, Version 1.6 ( https://www.jamovi.org ). Results. According to the results of counting in the group of patients with AIG, there was an increase in the quantity of NEC. Ranges of hyperplasia of neuroendocrine cells were revealed: 648–1736 cells per 1 mm2 square were detected for AIG, 416–605 cells per 1 mm2 for other forms of gastritis. In the AIG group median is 925 cells per 1 mm2, the 1st quartil is 877 cells per 1 mm2, 3rd quartil is 1172 cells per 1 mm2, interquartile range is 295 cells per 1 mm2 (asymmetrical distribution). In the group with other forms of gastritis arithmetic mean is 522±23 cells per millimeter square (normal distribution). Conclusion. The obtained results allowed to confirm NEC hyperplasia in patients with AIG. A statistically significant difference was found in the number of NEC in the body of the stomach in the group of AIG and other gastritis (p≤0,01), which can be proposed as an additional morphological criteria for diagnosing AIG.

Prognostic significance of CD163- and CD68-expressing macrophages in nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma

The objective of the study was to determine the clinical and morphological criteria and prognostic significance of CD163- and CD68-expressing macrophages in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) lymph node samples of nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma.Materials and methods. We have studied clinical and laboratory characteristics and treatment results of 52 patients with newly diagnosed nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma. The treatment efficacy was assessed after 2–4 courses of chemotherapy by positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography scan (PET-CT) according to the Deauville scale.Results. In FFPE lymph node samples, differences in the localization and relative number of CD163-positive macrophages in patients of both study groups were determined. Morphometric counting of CD68-positive cells did not reveal statistically significant intergroup differences. The threshold of CD163-positive cells has been established. The relationship between the CD68 expression level and the response to frontline therapy was not revealed. The ratio of tumorassociated macrophages in each patient was assessed by the CD163/CD68 index. The threshold of the index was determined, which allows predicting the course of nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma.Conclusion. The following parameters could be used as additional morphological criteria for predicting the response to frontline therapy in patients with nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma: tissue distribution pattern and quantitative calculation of macrophage-histiocytic microenvironment subpopulation composition. The results could be used to risk group stratification of patients with nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma in order to predict the response to initial phase of therapy, as well as to determine personalized treatment approaches.

Secular Trend of Body Dimensions in Highly Qualified Wrestlers

The purpose of the paper was to study the physique of highly qualified martial art athletes engaged in different types of wrestling, and to perform a retrospective analysis of the morphological characteristics of wrestlers examined since the early 1920s. The materials of the anthropometric survey of 48 athletes engaged in different types of wrestling with qualification from the candidate for master of sports and above were used for this purpose and compared to the "control group" of young men (N = 97) who were not engaged in sports (similar to the group of athletes by age, ethnicity and percentage of individuals with different weight categories). A set of morphological traits was established that contributed to the successful achievements in sports. When comparing the physique of modern athletes with that of the wrestlers surveyed in the early and mid-20th century (the 1920s and 1960s), it has been shown that the secular trend towards increase in height typical for modern population, was expressed in athletes to a much lesser extent. Striking similarities were revealed for absolute and relative dimensions characterizing the skeletal body proportions of the wrestlers, which pointed to the secular stability of this sports morphotype. The obtained results can be used as additional morphological criteria for sports selection, professional orientation and prediction of competitive success.

Эпохальный ретроспективный анализ показателей телосложения у спортсменов-единоборцев высокой квалификации

Introduction. The purpose of the paper was to study the physique of highly qualified martial art athletes engaged in different types of wrestling, and to perform a retrospective analysis of the morphological fea-tures of wrestlers examined since the early 1920s. Materials and methods. Anthropometric data of 48 male athletes who were engaged in martial arts (different types of wrestling) for many years and reached high qualifications (from a candidate for master of sports and above) were used in this study. Athletes were 18-31 years old (mean age – 20.62±0.43), almost all of Russian ethnicity, permanent residents of Moscow. For comparative analysis, the materials of the anthro-pometric survey of young men – students of different Moscow universities were taken (N = 97). The stu-dents were not involved in sports, were of the same age (20.19±0.29), of Russian ethnicity and represented with different weight categories. They were used as a "control group". Results. On the materials of the anthropometric survey of athletes engaged in different types of wrestling, in comparison with the so-called "control group", a set of morphological features was established contrib-uting to the successful achievement in sports. When comparing the physique of modern athletes and wres-tlers surveyed in the early and middle of the last century (1920s and 1960s), it is shown that the trend of the secular increase in height typical for modern population, is expressed in athletes to a much lesser extent. Striking similarities are revealed for absolute and relative dimensions characterizing the skeletal body pro-portions of the wrestlers, which indicates the secular stability of this sports morphotype. Conclusion. The obtained results demonstrate the patterns of formation of morphological features and secular stability of the morphotype of highly qualified athletes involved in different types of wrestling. Re-vealed complex of somatic features can be used as additional morphological criteria for sports selection, professional orientation and prediction of competitive success.

Autophagy-dependent cell death - where, how and why a cell eats itself to death.

Autophagy as a means of cell killing was first advanced by Clark's phenotypic description of 'Type II autophagic cell death' in 1990. However, this phenomenon later came into question, because the presence of autophagosomes in dying cells does not necessarily signify that autophagy is the cause of demise, but rather may reflect the efforts of the cell to prevent it. Resolution of this issue comes from a more careful definition of autophagy-dependent cell death (ADCD) as a regulated cell death that is shown experimentally to require different components of the autophagy machinery without involvement of alternative cell death pathways. Following these strict criteria, ADCD has been validated in both lower model organisms and mammalian cells, highlighting its importance for developmental and pathophysiological cell death. Recently, researchers have defined additional morphological criteria that characterize ADCD and begun to explore how the established, well-studied autophagy pathway is subverted from a survival to a death function. This Review explores validated models of ADCD and focuses on the current understanding of the mechanisms by which autophagy can kill a cell.

Species diversity of the genus Thalassiosira (Thalassiosirales, Bacillariophyta) in South Korea and its biogeographical distribution in the world

:Thalassiosira species are an important component of phytoplankton populations, and most species are considered cosmopolitan. Many authors have investigated the diversity of Thalassiosira species in order to understand their ecological roles in local areas. Our regional taxonomic study revealed the presence of 44 Thalassiosira species at 124 sites in Korean coastal waters. Of these, 14 species are newly reported in Korean waters and are described in detail with external and internal valve illustrations. Some morphologically confused taxa, such as the Thalassiosira s.s. group, T. curviseriata/T. tealata, T. simonsenii/Planktoniella blanda and T. proschkinae/T. spinulata, are clearly distinguished using additional morphological criteria. In addition, the full biogeographical distribution of Thalassiosira is described and compared with the Korean species. Korean waters seem to be the ‘Maginot Line’ for the cold- and warm-water Thalassiosira species. Knowledge of Thalassiosira species diversity will increase with more intensive work in relatively little-studied regions, such as the Indo-Pacific and tropical Atlantic Oceans.

The role of morphology in combination with ploidy analysis in characterizing early gestational abortion

Morphology in combination with flow cytometry is an inexpensive and fast tool to characterize important reasons for early gestational loss. Early partial hydatidiform moles are especially difficult to identify as not all have developed the typical histological features of central cistern formation and trophoblastic hyperplasia of the chorionic villi. Angiomatoid formation of the blood vessels, irregular chorionic villi, diffuse villous stromal fibrosis, trophoblastic pseudoinclusions, and pleomorphic trophoblast at the implantation site have therefore been proposed as additional morphological criteria. In our study, we investigated the correlation between morphological features and results of ploidy analysis to assess the additional criteria for practical use. Morphological features of the placentas of up to 13 weeks of gestation were evaluated on hematoxylin and eosin sections. Ploidy analysis was performed by flow cytometry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. Statistical analysis was performed by binary logistic regression. One hundred fifty samples were included in the study. Of the samples, 23 were triploid, 19 were tetraploid, and the remaining ones were diploid. Statistical analysis showed a poor predictive power based on all morphological criteria alone. The most important result of this study was the identification of five triploid placentas that showed diffuse fibrosis of the chorionic villi, angiomatoid changes of the blood vessels, trophoblastic pseudoinclusions, and focal pleomorphic changes at the implantation site, but none of the classical morphological features of triploid pregnancies were identified. Our study demonstrates that the use of additional morphological criteria increases the number of missed abortions with identified causes for pregnancy loss.

Habitat Partition, and Variations of Size and Symmetry of Three Sympatric Species of Alpheus (Decapoda: Caridea) along an Intertidal Gradient in the Southwestern Atlantic

Species assemblages of Alpheus of similar morphology occur along the tropical and subtropical margins of all world oceans. We studied sympatric populations of Alpheus belonging to three color morphs recognized along an intertidal gradient at Cabo Branco beach, State of Paraiba, Brazil. Morphological measurements of populations sampled monthly during a year were used to obtain indexes of size and fluctuating asymmetry. Standard statistical analyses were used in order to verify if the stress gradient established along the intertidal region affects spatial distribution, size and body symmetry in these three sympatric populations. Alpheus armillatus sensu stricto, the most frequent species, was predominant in the upper meso-littoral zone, being significantly smaller in the lower zone. A. cf. angulosus was predominant in the middle zone, while A. cf. heterochaelis was restricted to the upper zone. Individuals of A. cf. angulosus were significantly smaller than those of the other two morphs. Males were larger than females in all morphotypes, while cheliped dimensions show allometric growth. Couples invariably belong to a same morph. We obtained indications that competition between morphs are favoring the establishment of larger individuals in the most disputed zones of the middle and upper meso-littoral, although we were not able to confirm whether wave action was the main environmental factor responsible for these gradients in body size and symmetry along the intertidal region. Our data provide further ecological and biological evidence for the three color morphs representing distinct species, whose sympatric populations may be further recognized by additional morphological criteria. However, we are unsure about the constancy of these auxiliary distinguishing characters for allopatric populations from throughout their full western Atlantic ranges.

Does Immunohistochemistry Allow Easy Detection of Lymphatics in the Optic Nerve Sheath?

We evaluated the validity of anti-D2-40 and anti-LYVE-1 (antibodies against lymphatic endothelium) for IHC diagnosis and semiquantification of lymphatic vessels in the dura mater of the intraorbital portion of the human optic nerve (ON). Fourteen specimens were analyzed using light microscopy within 12 hr postmortem. We found in all specimens that both D2-40 and LYVE-1 stained lymphatic vessels as well as venules and arterioles. Our findings show lymphatic vessels in the meninges of the intraorbital portion of the human ON. Anti-D2-40 and anti-LYVE-1 antibodies, however, are not found to be exclusively specific to the endothelial layer of lymphatics because they also stain the endothelial layer of venules and arterioles. For the unequivocal identification of lymphatics, additional morphological criteria are necessary. Nevertheless, D2-40 and LYVE-1 staining allows rapid identification of endothelial layers.

Early development of the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus from the Barents Sea reared under laboratory conditions: morphology and behaviour

Morphology of larval, postlarval, and early juvenile stages of the red king crab is described and illustrated from laboratory reared material; attention is directed to certain aspects of morphology not previously considered. Some behavioural patterns are clarified, with special emphasis on locomotion and feeding. Morphological criteria for distinguishing the first two juvenile stages are proposed; additional morphological criteria for distinguishing zoeal stages are reported. Data on development and growth rates under laboratory conditions at 7–8°C are given for early life history stages. No major morphological differences were observed between early life stages of the red king crab from the native area in the Pacific Ocean and from the Barents Sea.