DigitalUM :: Browsing by Subject "Morphometry"

Browsing by Subject "Morphometry"

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Open Access
A comprehensive morphometric analysis of the internal thoracic artery with emphasis on age, gender and left-to-right specific differences
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2013) Labudović Borović, Milica; Borović, Saša; Marinković-Erić, Jelena; Todorović, Vera; Puškaš, Nela; Kočica, Mladen; Radak, Ðorde; Lačković, Vesna
Aims of the study. The aim of this analysis was the morphometric description of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) with an emphasis on age, gender and left-to-right specific differences, as well as on age and atherosclerosis related changes of the elastic skeleton. Methods. Forty eight arteries were obtained during forensic autopsies from 32 persons who had died of non-vascular causes. The following morphometric parameters were analyzed: thickness of the intima, the medial layer and the wall, the intima-to-media ratio and the elastic skeleton parameters. Results. The intima thickness increases significantly with aging (ANOVA F=34.061, p<0.001), as does the intima-to-media ratio (ANOVA F=10.831, p<0.001). With aging, there is a significant increase in the thickness of the media (F=56.519; p<0.001) and of the wall (F=34.094; p<0,001). There is a significant increase in the media thickness during the development of atherosclerosis in the ITA (ANOVA F=11.848, p<0.001). No significant difference was found when these data were analyzed based on the left-to-right principle or depending on gender of the patients. However, the analysis of the elastic skeleton parameters indicated that the combined effects of aging, atherosclerosis and male gender lead to the degeneration of the elastic skeleton of the ITA. Conclusion. The grade of atherosclerosis gradually increases with aging as shown by morphometric analysis. The increase in the medial layer thickness suggests the potential for positive remodeling of the ITA during aging and atherosclerosis. The left/right position has no influence on morphometric parameters of the ITA, while male gender affects parameters of the elastic skeleton.
Open Access
A quantitative morphometric study of rectal mucosa in adult and aged healthy subjects
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 2007) Milosevic, P.D.; Trbojevic, J.; Milicevic, N.M.; Bojic, D.; Davidovic, M.; Svorcan, P.; Dapcevic, B.; Bojic, B.; Mihajlovic, G.; Milicevic, Z.
Rectal mucosa is relatively susceptible to pathological processes and frequently it is affected by various diseases. However, there is a notable lack of quantitative data regarding normal rectal mucosa, which would provide a reference for histoquantitative studies of the pathologically changed tissue. Therefore, we obtained the tissue from 27 healthy patients subjected to diagnostic rectoscopy during active screening for asymptomatic cancer of the large intestine, in which no disease was found. Using computer-aided morphometric analysis, we studied all structural elements of the rectal mucosa. The patients were divided into four groups according to the age and sex: adult males, elderly males, adult females and elderly females. The patients under 60 years of age were grouped as adult and those older than 60 years as aged subjects. A decreased height of surface epithelium was registered in both elderly male and female groups. This finding, however, was significant only when adult and elderly male groups were compared. The tendency towards reduction of the mucosal height was also registered comparing male adult and elderly groups. The number of crypts per 0.1 mm2 of tissue increased with aging in both males and females, whereby the crypts were always more numerous in males than in females. The increase in number of crypts in male subjects was accompanied by a decrease in their diameter and perimeter. The changes associated with ageing were discrete and affected only the male subjects.
Open Access
Age and experimental obstructive emphysema. A morphometrical study on the rat
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1995) Escolar Castellón, J.de D.; Gallego, B.; Escolar, M.A.; Miñana Amada, C.; Roche, M.
Age, as a risk factor in the development of experimental obstructive emphysema, is proposed as the hypothesis of this study. Ninety-two Wistar rats were organized into two age groups: adult (16 weeks) and middle-aged (56 weeks). Each age group was subdivided into three groups: a control group, consisting of unmanipulated animals; a «cannula» group consisting of animals into whose trachea a cannula was implanted; and a «valve» group, consisting of animals into whose trachea a valve had been implanted. The survival was one month. A histomorphometric study was performed on the lungs and the results were compared statistically. 1-hroughout the experiment the amount of food consuni~~byi each animal and the variations in weight were monitored. After sacrifice, the lungs were processed for light microscopy. Thirteen histomorphometric variables were quantified and subsequently systematized into three groups: those which quantified the size of' Iie distal airspace («=ea of the al; ;)!:ir seci .: .,: ,.. , ., . lar chordn and «mean linear interct:l>i . . il~o.,civ hich quantified the tissue («wall tliicknt. - % : : : ,sue density», «interna1 perimeter of eacii ::i\ :c>liii- \c.i,iioii),, <(interna1 alveolar perimeter per fielcl>, ~ i i i ~.,;a lvcolar section/section perimetern); and those which quantified the elastic fibre («elastic fibre area», «elastic fibre perimeter», «elastic fibre area/elastic fibre perimeter», selastic fibre density» and «elastic fibre density per tissue density»). The results were compared statistically and the sensitivity, specificity and misclassification indices were calculated, as well as the attributable and relative risk. From the results, it was observed that, in general, the animals of the valve and cannula groups in both age groups displayed a decrease in food intake and a body weight loss. The middle-aged animals were the only group which displayed significant differences in al1 the morphometric variables except wall thickness, when the cannula and valve groups were compared with the control group. In both the cannula and valve groups, the Offprint [equests to: Dr. Juan de Dios Escolar, Departamento de Ciencias Morfológicas, Facultad de Medicina, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain values of the variables which quantified the distal airspace increased, while the values of the variables which quantified the lung tissue and the elastic fibre decreased. In the manipulated middle-aged group, the attributable risk of developing emphysema was 56.66% and the relative risk 5.55; in the group of manipulated adult animals, the attributable risk was 23.55% and the relative risk 1.66. The results of this study lead us to propose that the middle-aged rats with experimental airflow obstruction displayed a greater risk of developing emphysema than the adult rats which were subjected to the same procedure.
Open Access
Age-related morphometric changes occurring in the somata of astrocytes of the granular layer of rat neocerebellar cortex (Crus I and Crus II)
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1992) Monteiro, R.A.F.; Rocha, E.; Marini-Abreu, M.M.
A quantitative study conceming the agerelated changes occurring in the cell body and somatic organelles of neocerebellar astrocytes is carried out, using rats aged 2 to 24 months. Manual stereological techniques are used to determine the following parameters on electron micrographs: the somatic volume, the volume density and the absolute volume of the protoplasmic structures as well as the mean surface of the rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae per cell.None of the pararneters reveals any clear-cut general temporal pattern. The soma and the cell components show statistically significant differences in the parameters with ageing, excepting the dense bodies (relative and absolute volumes) and the Golgi apparatus (relative volume). There are significant positive linear trends between, on the one hand, the somatic volume and, on the other hand, the absolute volume of either of the following structures: nucleus, glial filaments, ground substance and dense bodies. Some linear correlations between the absolute volumes of organelles are also found. Despite the ability for karyokinesis, it is concluded that astrocytes do undergo changes with ageing.
Open Access
Aging in the vestibular nuclear complex of the male golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus): anatomic and morphometric study
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 2007) Fernández, J.A.; Suárez, C.; Navarro, A.; Díaz, C.; Alvarez, J.C.; González del Rey, C.; Tolivia, J.
To study the effects of senescence on the vestibular nuclear complex twenty brainstems from male golden hamsters between 3 and 27 months-old were used and the possible variations in the number of neurons, neuronal morphology and nuclear volume were studied. The neuron profiles were drawn with a camera lucida and Abercrombie's method was used to estimate the total number of neurons. The test of Kolmogorov-Smirnov with the correction of Lilliefors was used to evaluate the fit of our data to a normal distribution and a regression analysis was done to decide if the variation of our data with age was statistically significant. The results of the present study are relevant only for male animals and the effect of senescence could be different in female vestibular nuclear complex. Aging affects the volume of the superior and lateral vestibular nuclei, as well as the nuclear neuronal diameter of the medial vestibular nucleus, but no significant neuronal loss has been appreciated in vestibular nuclear complex related with age. During the aging process we have observed that the distribution of neurons within the vestibular nuclei of the golden hamster does not show important changes and most of their morphometric parameters do not vary significantly.
Open Access
Automated systematic random sampling and Cavalieri stereology of histologic sections demonstrating acute tubular necrosis after cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the mouse
(Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2018) Wakasaki, Rumie; Eiwaz, Mahaba; McClellan, Nicholas; Matsushita, Katsuyuki; Kirsti Golgotiu, Kirsti Golgotiu; Hutchens, Michael P.
Open Access
Bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) response to airway challenge with cigarette smoke,bovine antigen and anti-pulmonary serum
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1992) Escolar Castellón, J.de D.; Escolar castellón, A.; Roche Roche, P.A.; Miñana Amada, C.
The bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) is a lymphoepithelial organ, related to the immune defence of the lung and to alveolar clearance, which changes size in certain states of disease. Changes in the size of BALT were quantified and compared, and Spearman's test was used to test the relation with the bronchial epithelium. A total of 180 rats were used, divided into 6 groups of 30 as follows: 1) untreated controls; 2) exposed to cigarette smoke for two months; 3) treated with antipulmonary serum three doses daily over five days; 4) exposed to cigarette smoke and treated with antipulmonary serum; 5) sensitized with bovine albumin and exposed to an environment containing this antigen for two months; 6) exposed to cigarette smoke and bovine albumin. The lungs were processed for histological study, and were stained with the PAS-Alcian blue method. The main left bronchi BALT was studied, and the following were quantified: Lymphatic area (LA), as a percentage of the lung surface occupied by BALT; the flat epithelium (FEp), as the length of bronchial epithelium anatomically related to LA, whose cells tend to adopt a flat shape; the Contact epithelium (Cep), as the length of bronchial epithelium which is in direct contact with the LA. A percentage count of bronchial cells was made in the following classifications: globet cells; globet cells stained with the PAS-Alcian blue method; flat cells; lymphoepithelium cells; columnar cells; and bronchial epithelium cells excluding the above two cell types. The most outstanding findings were that, in comparison with the controls, the FEp and CEp had increased in al1 the treated animals, and the CEp of the group treated with bovine albumin + cigarette smoke was the only one in which the difference was Offprint requests to: Dr. D. Juan de Dios Escolar Castellón, Facultad de Medicina, C./ Domingo Miral s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain not significant (p > 0.05). The lymphatic area increased significantly (p < 0.001) in the groups treated with cigarette smoke, anti-pulmonary serum and cigarette smoke + anti-pulmonary serum, and decreased (p > 0.05) in the one treated with bovine albumin. Regression analysis gave good indices in general (Rho > 0.06), the exception being the group treated with cigarette smoke + ALS, in the relations CEpJFEp and CEpILA (Rho < 0.06). The globet ceiis decreased significantly in al1 the treated animals; however, the correlation between globet cells and the other variables did not give good indices (Rho > 0.06). Therefore, it is deduced that BALT can change shape in different conditions, FEp being the variable which increases most. The fa11 in globet ceiis is associated exclusively with the substances which were administered, since no relation was found between these cells and the morphological changes in the BALT.
Open Access
Clinical applications of image cytometry to human tumour analysis
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 2000) Millot, C.; Dufer, J.
Image cytometry (ICM) is widely applied to the automated screening, the detection, the diagnosis, the classification, the prognosis and the therapeutic followup of different types of cancers (breast, bladder, cervix,. . .). This review describes the analysis methods and the applications of nuclear image analysis, the determination of DNA content and the analysis of morphometry and of nuclear texture. DNA content analysis can contribute to a prognostic information in addition to other prognostic factors for breast, renal and prostate cancers. For ovarian cancer, aneuploidy seems to be related to prognosis. Bladder tumours with DNA aneuploidy were frequently of high malignancy while ploidy was significantly correlated to relapse risk. For digestive cancers, patients presenting DNA diploid tumours show a better survival than patients with aneuploid ones. Morphometry seems to be a more important criterion than other conventional prognostic factors of invasive breast and digestive carcinomas. A differential diagnosis between normal and neoplastic thyroids is more precise when based on a quantitative evaluation of texture associated to morphometry. Textural parameters permit the discrimination of two populations of patients having a different prognosis and could thus be an aid for prognosis in prostatic cancers. Morphonuclear parameters contribute to separate low and high grade bladder carcinomas. Although ICM was frequently reported, results from the reported examples were not always obvious. In conclusion, the measurements obtained with ICM could be helpful for a decision in several cancers but could not be a substitute for the classical approach of the pathologist.
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DNA-Ploidy, morphometric-stereological and P-Glycoprotein study of superficial bladder carcinomas
(S. Karger AG, 1992) Sánchez Fernández de Sevilla, M. C.; Gil Salom, M.; Pérez Bacete, M.; Morell Cuadreny, L.; Martínez Díaz, F.; Iborra Juan, I.; Fenollosa Entrena, B.; Llombart Bosch, A.; Oftalmología, Optometría, Otorrinolaringología y Anatomía Patológica
We carried out a DNA-ploidy, morphometri􀀜stereolcgic and P-glycoprotein study on 40 newly diagnosed superficial bladder cancer patients (G l-G2), correlating the results with histological grade and clinical outcome. Variations in the number of patients who present recurrences, progression or remain tumor-free during the whole follow-up period (at least 5 years) were not significant when related to nuclear size, proliferative diploid index, presl!nce of aneuploidy and expression of P-glycoprotein. lt is striking how the majority of disease-free subjects showed a proliferative diploid index higher than 10%. Moreoyer .. 3 of them presented a11 aneuploid cell population. In our study, only histological grade showed a significant discriminatory level in terms of progression versus no progression in patients with superficial bladder cancer.
Open Access
Effect of low or high dietary calcium on the morphology of the rat femur
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 2002) chen, H.; Hayakawa, D.; Emura, S.; Ozawa, Y.; Okumura, T.; Shoumura, S.
The present study compared the effect of a calcium deficit or surfeit on femurs. Young female rats were fed with the normal (1.18%), low (0.05%), or high (2.00%) calcium diet for 3, 7, 15 or 30 days. Two groups received the low calcium diet for the first 15 days and then were followed by the normal (L-N) or high calcium diets (L-H) for the sequential 15 days. The morphology of the femur was studied together with serum calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin and bone mineral density (BMD). We did not find any significant changes in the serum PTH level and bone morphology in the high calcium group. In the low calcium group, the serum PTH level increased, BMD of the whole body, the femoral weight and the femoral trabecular bone decreased as compared with the normal calcium group. There was a greater proportion of resorbing surface, less resting surface and larger vascular canal openings in the femoral endosteal surfaces in the low calcium group. In the L-N or L-H group, the femoral trabecular bone increased and the femoral resorbing surface decreased as compared with those of the low calcium group. These findings suggest that high calcium intakes do not affect the bone mass, and low calcium intakes have a deleterious effect on bone status, which may be related to vascular alternations of the bone. Reversing the low income calcium intake by a higher calcium diet can partially improve the bone alternations induced by low calcium intake.
Open Access
Effects of metabolic syndrome on the ultrastructure of the femoral nerve in aging rats
(F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2015) Rodrigues de Souza, Romeu; Gama, Eliane F.; El-Razi Neto, Semaan; Maldonado, Diogo
The aim of the present study was to characterize the morphometry of the femoral nerve in aging rats with metabolic syndrome compared to controls. Systolic blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose were measured, and myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in the femoral nerves were quantitatively assessed under electron microscopy. Aging rats exposed to a regimen of metabolic syndrome developed elevation of plasma glucose concentration, mild hypertension and polyneuropathy characterized by a decrease in myelin fiber area, axon diameter, myelin sheath thickness and myelin fiber loss in the femoral nerve. The histogram of size distribution for myelinated fibers and axons from the aging rats of the control group was bimodal. For aging MS animals, the histogram turned out to be unimodal. The ultrastructure of unmyelinated fibers and of Schwann cells in 18-monthold rats was well preserved. Granules of lipofuscin were seen in unmyelinated fiber axons of 18-month-old rats with MS. The damage percentage of the large myelinated fibers has increased significantly in 18- month-old and 18-month-old (MS) rats in relation to the controls. No significant difference was observed among the groups for the g-ratio. Comparing the three groups, the number of neurotubules and neurofilaments in myelinated fibers of 18-month-old rats with MS was significantly smaller than for the groups of 18-month-old and 14-month-old rats. The overall changes seen in the femoral nerve from aging rats seem minor compared to the changes in the aging rats with MS, suggesting that long-term MS accelerates the progressive modifications in peripheral nerves that develop in old age.
Open Access
Epidermoid carcinoma of the lung in stage I, Factors of prognostic interest
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1993) Carbajo, M.; Ortega, F.J.; Hernández, M.; Ondiviela, R.; Blanco, C.; Buelta, L.; Garijo, F.; Val-Bernal, F.
Factors affecting stage 1 epidermoid cancer of the lung were studied in a series of 29 patients treated only by surgery and followed up for ten years. A set of 13 variables with a possible influence on prognosis were investigated. The application of the Cox Univariate Analysis to the different variables showed the grade of cell differentiation and the mitotic index to be predictors. In the Cox Multivariate Analysis, the proportional regression equation revealed two independently significant variables (p<0.01), which were the Mitotic Index and Nuclear Area. Grouping patients on the basis of the prognostic variables indicated allows a better prediction for survival to be made for this series of patients.
Open Access
GNRH induces activation of Leydig-like cells in Pleurodeles waltlii. A morphometric study
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1987) Moya, L.; Guerrero, F.; Navas, P.; García-Herdugo, G.
The ultrastructure of the interstitial cells of the glandular tissue of Pleurodeles waltlii was studied in testis of animals obtained in early breeding season (January) under gonadotropic releasing hormone (GNRH) treatments and controls. These cells (parenchimal or Ledyig-like cells) displayed the structural characteristics of steroid-producing cells. GNRH administration for 24 hours induced a significant decrease of both medial volume and volume density of lipid droplets. On the other hand, cell volume, nucleus. mitochondria, mitochondrial cristae and tubules of smooth endoplasmic reticulum were increased. The surface density of mitochondrial cristae was also increased
Open Access
Goodpasture's syndrome in ageing. An experimental study on the rat. I
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1993) Escolar Castellón, J.de D.; Mateos, J.; Alfaro, E.; Escolar, M.A.; Miñana Amada, C.; Roche, P.
The following hypothesis is proposed: Experimental lung disease in old rats is different from this disease in adult rats. In order to demonstrate this, we performed a morphometrical evaluation of the pulmonary state of two groups of rats at different ages and to which Goodpasture's syndrome had been induced. 115 Wistar rats were used. They were divided into four different groups as follows: 1) Healthy adult rats which had not been subjected to treatment; 2) diseased adult rats to which antipulmonary serum had been administered; 3) healthy old rats; and 4) diseased old rats. With the help of a computerized system, the length of the alveolar chord, the thickness of the alveolar wall and the surface of the bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue in each group was calculated. We also counted the number of alveolar macrophages (AM) with haemosiderin, the percentage of goblet bronchial cells and that of AM, lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes of the broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL). The following results were obtained. When related to the diseased adult rats, the diseased old rats showed an increase in the alveolar chord and a decrease in the thickness of the alveolar wall, as well as in the number of AM with haemosiderin, globet cells and BAL lymphocytes. These results support the proposed hypotheses, since the diseased adult animals showed signs of alveolar inflammation with interstitial edema, while in the diseased old animals these results are compatible with emphysema.
Open Access
Goodpasture's syndrome in ageing. An experimental study on the rat. II
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1993) Escolar Castellón, J.de D.; Mateos, J.; Alfaro, E.; Escolar, M.A.; Miñana Amada, C.; Roche, P.
The following hypothesis is suggested: if a lung disease is induced in an adult rat, then its lung, in the senile age, will be different from what is considered to be a normal senile lung. In order to demonstrate this, the pulmonary state of two groups of old rats, one of which had suffered from Goodpasture's syndrome in the adult age has been assessed morphometrically. Fifty-three Wistar rats were used. They were divided into two groups: 1) healthy old rats; and 2) diseased old rats. Antipulmonary serum was administered to the latter and they were sacrificed a year later. Making use of a computing system, we calculated the following data for each group: the alveolar chord length, the alveolar wall thickness and the surface of the bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT). The alveolar macrophages (AM) with haemosiderin which were found in the lung tissue were also counted and the percentage of goblet bronchial cells and that of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells was also assessed. From the results, the following points should be emphasized: in diseased old rats, an increase in the alveolar chord, a decrease in lymphocytes with an increase in the AM of the BAL, and a decrease in goblet cells and AM with haemosiderin occur, al1 of which are significant when these rats are compared to healthy old rats. From this experiment it can be inferred that the lungs of the diseased old rats are morphologically different from those of the healthy old rats; the findings cannot be related to an inflammatory process.
Open Access
Histochemistry and morphometry of Werdnig-Hoffmann disease
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 1989) Pérula, E. Artacho; Villalobos, R. Roldán; Lernos, R. Vaamonde
We report a case of the Werdnig-Hoffmann disease in a 4-month-old male infant. The morphological study revealed perimysial fibrosis. variability in the size of muscle fibers, absence of target fibers, few central nuclei and normality in vessels, nerves and neuromuscular junctions. The morphometrical examination showed the existence of normal-sized and atrophic fibers in both fibrillar types. as well as in hypertrophic type 1 fibers. The percentage of fibrillar types and the data obtained from the form factor are normal. Random distribution of type 1 and 11 muscle fibers were observed.
Open Access
Histological and morphometrical evaluation of the urethral wall after bioresorbable stent implantation in male New Zealand White Rabbits: A preliminary study
(Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, 2024) Skonieczna-Kurpiel, Joanna; Madej, Jan P.; Klekiel, Tomasz; Mackiewicz, Agnieszka; Będziński, Romuald; Noszczyk-Nowak, Agnieszka; Piasecki, Tomasz
The aim of the study was the histological and morphometrical evaluation of the urethral wall at three time points after bioresorbable stent implantation in male New Zealand White Rabbits. The research was performed on 26 male New Zealand White rabbits aged 3-4 months and weighing 2.1-3.0 kg. Two models of bioresorbable sodium alginate-based stents were developed and implanted into the urethral lumen for one (T1), three (T3), and six weeks (T6). Sections of 5 µm thickness were cut from the urethra at intervals of 2 mm. The sliced sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), Van Gieson's (VG), Von Kossa, and Movat– Russell modified pentachrome (MOVAT) staining methods. The study provided valuable information for future models of urethral stents. The first model of the stent failed to fit the requirements due to inadequate mechanical properties. It curled up on itself losing the ability to adhere to the animals’ urethra and was bioresorbed three weeks after implantation. The more rigid no. 2 stent was effective in widening the urethral lumen but did not biodegrade during the experiment. A comprehensive assessment of the second model’s properties of biosorption and biointegration requires an extended observation of at least 12 months for an in depth morphological analysis. Stent migration is not likely to be caused solely by the mechanical properties of the urethra or urinary flow but mainly by muscle contraction of the organ wall.
Open Access
Histomorphometrical study of the submandibular gland ductal system in the rat
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 2002) Fernández García, H.; García-Poblete, Eduardo; Moro, E.; Catalá-Rodríguez, M.; Rico-Morales, M.L.; García-Gómez de las Heras, M.S.
The duct system of murine submandibular gland is composed, in contrast with other mammals, by four types of ducts, among which the granular duct is unique for rodents. The granular duct shows a typical secretory structure with a clear intersex morphological diversity on which we carried out a morphometrical study in order to determine the relative area of each duct in rats in comparison with the rest of ducts and the whole gland. Our results, in both sexes, show that the duct with the broadest surface is the granular duct, followed by the excretory, striated and the intercalated ducts. In addition, we found a significant intersex difference between the relative surface of the granular and the excretory ducts, being bigger in males than in females. Finally, in both sexes, there is a greater variation in the data related to the excretory ducts than to the other ducts.
Open Access
Megakaryocytic features useful for the diagnosis of myeloproliferative disorders can be obtained by a novel unsupervised software analysis
(Murcia : F. Hernández, 2006) Tripodo, C.; Valenti, C.; Ballarò, B.; Rudzki, Z.; Tegolo, D.; Di Gesù, V.; Florena, A.M.; Franco, V.
An unsupervised method for megakaryocyte detection and analysis is proposed, in order to validate supplementary tools which can be of help in supporting the pathologist in the classification of Philadelphia negative chronic myeloproliferative disorders with thrombocytosis. The experiment was conducted on high power magnification photomicrographs taken from hematoxylin-and-eosin 3 µm thick sections of formalin fixed, paraffin embedded bone marrow biopsies from patients with reactive thrombocytosis or chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Each megakaryocyte has been isolated in the photos through an image segmentation process, mainly based on mathematical morphology and wavelet analysis. A set of features (e.g. area, perimeter and fractal dimension of the cell and its nucleus, shape complexity via elliptic Fourier transform, and so on) is used to characterize the disorders and discriminate between essential thrombocythemia and idiopathic myelofibrosis. Features related to the general contour of the cell like cytoplasmic area and perimeter are good markers in distinguishing between normal or reactive and pathologic megakaryocytes while nuclear features and global circularity are helpful in the differential diagnosis between ET and prefibrotic IMF. The method proposed should be considered as a fast preprocessing tool for the diagnostic phase and its use can be extended to solve different object recognition problems.
Open Access
Morfología Fluvial.-Caracterización morfométrica en cuencas hidrológicas afectadas por la minería
Moreno Brotóns, J.; Alonso Sarría, Francisco; Romero Díaz, A.; Belmonte Serrato, F.; Universidad de Murcia
ABSTRACT The intensive exploitation in the mining district of Cartagena - La Unión during recent centuries has generated a huge amount of waste scattered throughout the Sierra Minera. These debris act as a dangerous pollution agent in the drainage network because the generated runoff erodes and disperse these wastes that are highly contaminated by heavy metals. In this way, the drainage networks of the study area have been characterized to assess the production of runoff in basins which are sterile deposits, using the method of the Geomorphological Unit Hydrograph (GUH). The peak flows that have been obtained, taking into account the erodibility of soils, are capable of carrying large amounts of pollutants into the two main outlet areas (Mar Menor and Mediterranean Sea), meaning an important source of pollution in two sites of high ecological value.