Репозиторий Университета

© 2021, The Author(s). Background: The morphometric analysis of the individual bones of the human skeleton can be used to estimate the sex of unidentified corpses. Our aims were as follows: to test whether thyroid cartilage can be used for forensic purposes as a predictor of biological sex; to establish the level of sexual dimorphism of the thyroid cartilage in a sample of adult subjects from a population of European Russia; and to test the accuracy of the morphometric parameters obtained from the thyroid cartilage. Results: The thyroid cartilage from 100 adults of known age (50 males and 50 females) was obtained during forensic examination; morphometric tests were conducted using Vernier Digital ROKTOOLS ABS DIN 862 0-200/6 inch with measurement accuracy ± 0.01 mm. The measured parameters were N = 31 for each subject. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility was tested. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the measurements. To check the data set for normal distribution, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used. Finally, to estimate the sex of the observed individuals, a stepwise discriminant analysis was conducted, using the Wilks’ lambda selection method. The most significant parameters were the outer distance between bases of inferior horn; the inner distance between distal ends of inferior horns; distance between distal ends of left superior and inferior horns; left superior horn length (distance between left superior horn distal end and base); distance between superior and inferior notches; thyroid angle; left lamina height (vertical line along left lamina middle); horizontal distance between anterior intermedium line and the right lamina posterior edge; distance between inferior thyroid notch and line connecting left and right thyroid laminae; and left superior horn thickness at mid-line. The stepwise discriminant analysis resulted in an equation with ten parameters. Conclusions: The results of the current study indicated that in the European Russian population, the equation obtained in the stepwise discriminant analysis makes it possible to predict sex with a probability of 100% on the validation set. On the test set, the resultant accuracy was 100% for females and 100% for males. Our findings confirm the scientific evidence that the thyroid cartilage has a pronounced sexual dimorphism.

© 2021, The Author(s). Background: The morphometric analysis of the individual bones of the human skeleton can be used to estimate the sex of unidentified corpses. Our aims were as follows: to test whether thyroid cartilage can be used for forensic purposes as a predictor of biological sex; to establish the level of sexual dimorphism of the thyroid cartilage in a sample of adult subjects from a population of European Russia; and to test the accuracy of the morphometric parameters obtained from the thyroid cartilage. Results: The thyroid cartilage from 100 adults of known age (50 males and 50 females) was obtained during forensic examination; morphometric tests were conducted using Vernier Digital ROKTOOLS ABS DIN 862 0-200/6 inch with measurement accuracy ± 0.01 mm. The measured parameters were N = 31 for each subject. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility was tested. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the measurements. To check the data set for normal distribution, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used. Finally, to estimate the sex of the observed individuals, a stepwise discriminant analysis was conducted, using the Wilks’ lambda selection method. The most significant parameters were the outer distance between bases of inferior horn; the inner distance between distal ends of inferior horns; distance between distal ends of left superior and inferior horns; left superior horn length (distance between left superior horn distal end and base); distance between superior and inferior notches; thyroid angle; left lamina height (vertical line along left lamina middle); horizontal distance between anterior intermedium line and the right lamina posterior edge; distance between inferior thyroid notch and line connecting left and right thyroid laminae; and left superior horn thickness at mid-line. The stepwise discriminant analysis resulted in an equation with ten parameters. Conclusions: The results of the current study indicated that in the European Russian population, the equation obtained in the stepwise discriminant analysis makes it possible to predict sex with a probability of 100% on the validation set. On the test set, the resultant accuracy was 100% for females and 100% for males. Our findings confirm the scientific evidence that the thyroid cartilage has a pronounced sexual dimorphism.

© 2020 Bone age is used widely by pediatricians to assess the skeletal maturity of a child and predict growth potential. This entails measuring the size of secondary ossification centers (SOCs), which develop with age in the ends of long bones, which are initially cartilaginous. However, little is presently known about the developmental biology, evolution and functional role of these skeletal elements. Here, we summarize the knowledge currently available in this area and discuss potential primary functions of the SOC.

© 2020 Bone age is used widely by pediatricians to assess the skeletal maturity of a child and predict growth potential. This entails measuring the size of secondary ossification centers (SOCs), which develop with age in the ends of long bones, which are initially cartilaginous. However, little is presently known about the developmental biology, evolution and functional role of these skeletal elements. Here, we summarize the knowledge currently available in this area and discuss potential primary functions of the SOC.

© 2020 Bone age is used widely by pediatricians to assess the skeletal maturity of a child and predict growth potential. This entails measuring the size of secondary ossification centers (SOCs), which develop with age in the ends of long bones, which are initially cartilaginous. However, little is presently known about the developmental biology, evolution and functional role of these skeletal elements. Here, we summarize the knowledge currently available in this area and discuss potential primary functions of the SOC.

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: Currently, no data is available regarding the association between professional experience or limb dominance and the prevalence of asymptomatic knee joint lesions in adult professional male soccer players. Hypothesis: The prevalence of the accumulated changes increases with training experience. This is especially true for the dominant leg, which is involved in a large proportion of the athletes’ movements. Study Design: Level 2 cross-sectional cohort study Methods: MRI was used to assess the condition of 94 knee joints in 47 adult professional male soccer players (mean age 25.7 ± 4.6 years, BMI 22.8 ± 1.4). Previous surgery on joints was an exclusion criterion. No football player had knee injuries (including fresh bruises) for at least 3 months before the examination. All the scans were performed using a 1.5T MRI scanner and a slice thickness of 3 mm. The images were blindly analyzed by two experienced radiologists. We analyzed all the three compartments of the knee joint. We consider a chondral lesion already from grade I in modified Noyes and Stabler classification system. To assess the influence of soccer training experience, all players were divided into two groups: group 1 formed from players with less than 20 years of experience and group 2 with more than 20 years of experience. Results: One hundred percent of the soccer players had at least one chondral and meniscal lesion. In both legs, the posterior horn of the medial meniscus (95.6%) was the most frequent site of injury. Most of the injuries were classified as grade II injuries (73.3% for the dominant and 75.6% for the non-dominant leg). Experience and age of the athletes significantly increased the probability of subcortical bone lesions. They were significantly positively correlated with the grades of patellar lesions and lesions of the patellar surface of the femur and significantly negatively correlated with the grades of lesions of posterior horn of lateral meniscus and anterior horn of medial meniscus. No statistically significant differences in the prevalence and grades of cartilage and meniscal lesions in the dominant and non-dominant limb were observed. Conclusion: Soccer practice is associated with the increased prevalence of asymptomatic chondral and meniscal lesions. The probability of subcortical bone lesions significantly increases with training experience and age. These factors are also positively correlated with the grades of patellar lesions and lesions of the patellar surface of the femur. The prevalence and grade of asymptomatic chondral and meniscal lesions is independent of leg dominance.

© 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is characterized by inflammation of joints and cartilage degradation leading to disability, discomfort, severe pain, inflammation, and stiffness of the joint. It has been shown that adenosine, a purine nucleoside composed of adenine attached to ribofuranose, is enzymatically produced by the human synovium. However, the functional significance of adenosine signaling in homeostasis and pathology of synovial joints remains unclear. Adenosine acts through four cell surface receptors, i.e., A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, and here, we have systematically analyzed mice with a deficiency for A3 receptor as well as pharmacological modulations of this receptor with specific analogs. The data show that adenosine receptor signaling plays an essential role in downregulating catabolic mechanisms resulting in prevention of cartilage degeneration. Ablation of A3 resulted in development of OA in aged mice. Mechanistically, A3 signaling inhibited cellular catabolic processes in chondrocytes including downregulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII), an enzyme that promotes matrix degradation and inflammation, as well as Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). Additionally, selective A3 agonists protected chondrocytes from cell apoptosis caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines or hypo-osmotic stress. These novel data illuminate the protective role of A3, which is mediated via inhibition of intracellular CaMKII kinase and RUNX2 transcription factor, the two major pro-catabolic regulators in articular cartilage. Key messages: Adenosine receptor A3 (A3) knockout results in progressive loss of articular cartilage in vivo.Ablation of A3 results in activation of matrix degradation and cartilage hypertrophy.A3 agonists downregulate RUNX2 and CaMKII expression in osteoarthritic human articular chondrocytes.A3 prevents articular cartilage matrix degradation induced by inflammation and osmotic fluctuations.A3 agonist inhibits proteolytic activity of cartilage-degrading enzymes.

© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Articular hyaline cartilage is extensively hydrated, but it is neither innervated nor vascularized, and its low cell density allows only extremely limited self-renewal. Most clinical and research efforts currently focus on the restoration of cartilage damaged in connection with osteoarthritis or trauma. Here, we discuss current clinical approaches for repairing cartilage, as well as research approaches which are currently developing, and those under translation into clinical practice. We also describe potential future directions in this area, including tissue engineering based on scaffolding and/or stem cells as well as a combination of gene and cell therapy. Particular focus is placed on cell-based approaches and the potential of recently characterized chondro-progenitors; progress with induced pluripotent stem cells is also discussed. In this context, we also consider the ability of different types of stem cell to restore hyaline cartilage and the importance of mimicking the environment in vivo during cell expansion and differentiation into mature chondrocytes.

© 2018 American Leather Chemists Association. All rights reserved. Classification, mechanism of action, features of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, and indications for use of chondroprotectors (drugs promoting the regeneration of cartilage tissue) are presented. Comparative analysis of experimental and clinical studies of main representatives of this group of drug has been performed.

© 2018, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Pectus excavatum (PE) and pectus carinatum (PC) in children are the most common congenital deformities that cause complications in the thoracic organs; however, the role of chondrocytes and cartilage canals in the pathogenesis of these conditions remains unexplored. Objective — to investigate qualitative and quantitative changes of cartilage lacunae and canals in the costal cartilages in children with PE and PC compared to those with normal chests. Subject and methods. Costal cartilages were investigated in 10 children with normal chests (a control group), in 12 children with PE, and in 12 children with PC. Tissue fragments were fixed in 10% neutral formalin and embedded in compacted paraffin. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Slides were examined by light microscopy. Cartilage lacunae, hyper-and hypolacunar zones, and cartilage canals were morphometrically examined, followed by statistical data analysis. Results. There was a significant decrease in the number of cartilage lacunae and in the frequency of hyperlacunar zones and an increase in that of hypolacunar zones in the PE and PC groups. There were no significant differences in these parameters between the PE and PC groups; however, there was a tendency to the smallest number of cartilage lacunae and canals in the PC group and that to the preponderance of empty lacunae in the PE group. Only the PC group showed also negative correlations between the proportions of empty lacunae and the age of children. Conclusion. The pathogenesis of PE and PC in children is related to the impaired trophism of costal cartilages due to the smaller number of cartilage channels containing vessels and lacunae with chondrocytes. The development of PE and PC is associated with specific costal cartilage morphological changes that suggest that PE and PC are different manifestations of the same disease, namely connective tissue dysplasia.

© 2018 Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved. The objective of the present study was the development of the diagnostic model for determining the human age based on the results of the comprehensive examination of the 230 thyroid cartilages (TC) obtained from the corpses of men and women of different age. TC were examined with the use of the anthropometric, X-ray, and histological methods. The anthropometric investigations confirmed the gender-related differences in the structure of human TC. Various characteristics of TC were shown to correlate with the age but these relationships were rather weak even if formally significant. The X-ray studies of TC have revealed the significant correlation of the relative amount of the bone tissue on the images with the age (r=0.8). Of the 27 parameters subjected to the morphometric evaluation, the following ones were shown to significantly correlates with the age: percentage of the bony (r=0,82) and cartilaginous (r=-0.8) tissue areas, average density of the adipose (r=0.76) and reticular (r=0.7) tissues, the maximum length of trabeculae (r=0.67), the width of the mature cartilage zone (r=0.54), the cortical plate thickness (r=0.5), and the mean number of immature chondrocytes in the field of vision (r=0.5). The comprehensive investigation into the structure of the human thyroid cartilage provided a basis for the development of the method for determining the human age with the use of the linear regression equations. It is concluded that the proposed method can be employed as an additional diagnostic tool for determining the human age for the purposes of forensic medical expertise and personality identification.

© COPYRIGHT SPIE. The paper considers physical processes and mechanisms of laser reparation of spine cartilage, presents results of investigations aimed to optimize laser settings and to develop feedback control system for laser reconstruction of spine discs. Possible mechanisms of laser-induced regeneration include: (1) Space and temporary modulated laser beam induces non-homogeneous and pulse repetitive thermal expansion and stress in the irradiated zone of cartilage. Mechanical effect due to controllable thermal expansion of the tissue and micro and nano gas bubbles formation in the course of the moderate (up to 50 °C) heating of the NP activate biological cells (chondrocytes) and promote cartilage regeneration. (2) Non-destructive laser radiation leads to the formation of nano and micro-pores in cartilage matrix in the in the immediate vicinity of chondrocytes. That promotes water permeability and increases the feeding of biological cells. Results provide the scientific and engineering basis for the novel low-invasive laser procedures to be used in neurosurgery and orthopedics for the treatment cartilages of spine. The technology and equipment for laser reconstruction of spine discs have been tested first on animals, and then in a clinical trial. Since 2001 the laser reconstruction of intervertebral discs have been performed (i) for more than 3,200 patients with chronic symptoms of low back or neck pain who failed to improve with non-operative care; and (ii) for 1100 patients underwent hernia removal surgery. Substantial relief of back pain was obtained in 92.5% of patients treated who returned to their daily activities. LRD allowed also to decrease secondary surgeries more than three times. Optical fiber technique based on light scattering measurements have been used to promote safety and efficacy of the laser procedures.

© The Author(s) 2018. Objective: Chondrospheres represent a variant of tissue spheroids biofabricated from chondrocytes. They are already being used in clinical trials for cartilage repair; however, their biomechanical properties have not been systematically investigated yet. The aim of our study was to characterize chondrospheres in long-term in vitro culture conditions for morphometric changes, biomechanical integrity, and their fusion and spreading kinetics. Results: It has been demonstrated that the increase in chondrospheres secant modulus of elasticity is strongly associated with the synthesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix. Additionally, significant interplay has been found between biomechanical properties of tissue spheroids and their fusion kinetics in contrast to their spreading kinetics. Conclusions: Extracellular matrix is one of the main structural determinants of chondrospheres biomechanical properties during chondrogenic maturation in vitro. The estimation of tissue spheroids’ physical behavior in vitro prior to operative treatment can be used to predict and potentially control fusogenic self-assembly process after implantation in vivo.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is characterized by inflammation of joints and cartilage degradation leading to disability, discomfort, severe pain, inflammation, and stiffness of the joint. It has been shown that adenosine, a purine nucleoside composed of adenine attached to ribofuranose, is enzymatically produced by the human synovium. However, the functional significance of adenosine signaling in homeostasis and pathology of synovial joints remains unclear. Adenosine acts through four cell surface receptors, i.e., A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, and here, we have systematically analyzed mice with a deficiency for A3 receptor as well as pharmacological modulations of this receptor with specific analogs. The data show that adenosine receptor signaling plays an essential role in downregulating catabolic mechanisms resulting in prevention of cartilage degeneration. Ablation of A3 resulted in development of OA in aged mice. Mechanistically, A3 signaling inhibited cellular catabolic processes in chondrocytes including downregulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII), an enzyme that promotes matrix degradation and inflammation, as well as Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). Additionally, selective A3 agonists protected chondrocytes from cell apoptosis caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines or hypo-osmotic stress. These novel data illuminate the protective role of A3, which is mediated via inhibition of intracellular CaMKII kinase and RUNX2 transcription factor, the two major pro-catabolic regulators in articular cartilage.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is characterized by inflammation of joints and cartilage degradation leading to disability, discomfort, severe pain, inflammation, and stiffness of the joint. It has been shown that adenosine, a purine nucleoside composed of adenine attached to ribofuranose, is enzymatically produced by the human synovium. However, the functional significance of adenosine signaling in homeostasis and pathology of synovial joints remains unclear. Adenosine acts through four cell surface receptors, i.e., A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, and here, we have systematically analyzed mice with a deficiency for A3 receptor as well as pharmacological modulations of this receptor with specific analogs. The data show that adenosine receptor signaling plays an essential role in downregulating catabolic mechanisms resulting in prevention of cartilage degeneration. Ablation of A3 resulted in development of OA in aged mice. Mechanistically, A3 signaling inhibited cellular catabolic processes in chondrocytes including downregulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII), an enzyme that promotes matrix degradation and inflammation, as well as Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). Additionally, selective A3 agonists protected chondrocytes from cell apoptosis caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines or hypo-osmotic stress. These novel data illuminate the protective role of A3, which is mediated via inhibition of intracellular CaMKII kinase and RUNX2 transcription factor, the two major pro-catabolic regulators in articular cartilage.