A possible crawling paracomatulid crinoid from the Lower Jurassic of central Italy

A new paracomatulid crinoid, Tiburtocrinus toarcensis gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lower Jurassic of Tivoli (central Apennines, Italy). This type of stemless crinoids has never previously been recorded in Italy, and this report bridges a significant gap. Morphofunctional analysis of the radial facets suggests that Tiburtocrinus toarcensis gen. et sp. nov. may have been a crawling paracomatulid, very different from other paracomatulids that probably swam.

Comparative Analysis of the Influence of Extracellular Matrix Biomimetics on the Viability and Insulin-Producing Function of Isolated Pancreatic Islets

The creation of a pancreas tissue-engineered construct based on isolated pancreatic islets is hindered by problems associated with maintaining their viability and insulin-producing function. Both biopolymer and tissue-specific scaffolds can contribute to the maintenance of the structure and function of pancreatic islets in vitro and in vivo. A comparative morphofunctional analysis in vitro of isolated pancreatic islets cultured with a biopolymer collagen-containing scaffold and a tissue-specific scaffold obtained as a result of pancreatic decellularization was performed. The results showed that the use of the scaffolds contributes not only to the maintenance of the cultured islets viability, but also to the prolongation of their insulin-producing functions, compared to the islets monoculture in vitro. A significant increase was found in basal and stimulated (under glucose loading) insulin secreted by the islets cultured with the scaffolds. At the same time, the advantage of using a tissue-specific scaffold in comparison with a biopolymer collagen-containing scaffold was shown. We think that these studies will become a platform for creating a human pancreas tissue-engineered design for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

Morphofunctional analysis of the retina in the surgical treatment of idiopathic macular holes

Purpose. To evaluate the role of microperimetry and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the morphofunctional analysis of the retina after surgical treatment of idiopathic macular holes (IMH). Materials and methods. A retrospective study of 33 patient's treatment results (33 eyes) with IMH was carried out. All patients underwent minimally invasive with 25G or 27G vitrectomy. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), macular photosensitivity, fixation stability, macular neuroepithelial (NE) volume and minimal macular hole diameter were analyzed. Follow-up period: 6 months. Results. A complete closure of the macular hole was achieved in all cases post-op. The patients had reliable improvement of BCVA, retinal photosensitivity and decrease of macular NE volume. Based on a multifactor correlation analysis with the purpose to predict the results of surgical treatment, the dependence of post-op BCVA on the pre-op photosensitivity of the retina and the minimal diameter of the macular hole was revealed. Conclusions. Microperimetry and OCT are modern non-invasive research methods allowing to estimate anatomical and functional results of surgical IMH treatment. The study of retinal photosensitivity in the macula and minimal macular hole diameter pre-op allows to predict post-op BCVA, which has a practical importance. Keywords: idiopathic macular hole, vitrectomy, microperimetry, optical coherence tomography.

FUNCTIONAL MORPHOLOGY OF BIRDS’ BLOOD LEUKOCYTES

The present research was carried out in an attempt to identify the problems associated with the morphofunctional analysis of vertebrate animal’s leukocyte blood cells. For this blood samples of four age groups chickens (Gallus gallus L.) were collected and analysis was carried out as per the recommendations of the International Council for Standardization in Hematology for the identifying morpho-physiological characteristics of leukocytes of peripheral blood of birds. Results of the current study were based on the sample of early postnatal ontogenesis based on the analysis of high-resolution color microphotographs taken by the method of light-optical microscopy. Results of the current study revealed that the cells have the well-designed of all granular leukocytes typical "eosinophilic" nucleus with two segments. Sometimes cells contain polysegmental nuclei that are eccentrically located. Further, in contrast to heterophils, the eosinophilic nucleus has well-expressed contours, formed by irregularly shaped chromatin blocks with an optically denser structure. There are also eosinophils with stick-nuclei. The smallest blood granulocytes of the birds are basophils. Basophils differ in structure slightly basophilic color cytoplasm with intensively basophilic granules of rounded or other forms of different size. The sizes of granules in basophils are smaller than the other types of granular leukocytes. Thus, based on the analysis of qualitative color microphotographs of white blood cells of chickens of neonatal ontogenesis performed by optical microscopy, the differential morpho-physiological markers of leukocytic cells of peripheral blood of birds were marked and characterized.

Intensity of lamella growth as morphofunctional feature of human platelets

Aim. To study morphofunctional properties of platelet lamella′s forming in donors and patients with thrombotic disorders.Materials and methods. We studied platelets of blood donors, patients with deep venous thrombosis, burned patients with thrombotic disorders. Morphofunctional analysis was performed, using original method, based on cell vital staining.Results. In patients with deep venous thrombosis morphofunctional platelet value was enhanced, in burned patients with thrombotic disorders platelet integrity was low. After 10–15 minutes of adhesion on glass spreading platelets maintained 3 subpopulations: cells without lamella, able to fluent granule efflux (1th type); cell with lamellipodias (2th type); cells with wide lamella, covering cell perimeter (3th type). In donors′ blood most of spreading platelets formed lamella at 1–2 hours, in patients with deep venous thrombosis this process was noticeably accelerated, estimating 30–35 minutes, what is more, spreading platelets viewed both intensive lamella′s growth and rapid degranulation of cells without lamella, followed by aggregation on the glass. Burned patients had significant decay of platelet adhesion, lamella formation was low-identified – less than 20 % of spread platelets formed lamellipodias. Among blood donors one could notice heterogeneous level of platelets, capable to rapid granules′ release during contact with adhesive substrate.Conclusion. The lack of lamella forming may occur both at low and high morphofunctional platelet rate. During deep venous thrombosis lamella′s growth velocity was noticeably increased. Among spreading platelets with granules one could find subpopulation of cells, capable to rapid granules′ release in norm and pathology.