Sex and level differences in the diameters of extradural segment of vertebral artery: computed tomography angiographic study

Background: We investigated diameters of prevertebral — V1, and atlantic — V3 parts of extradural segment of vertebral artery (VA). Variable results from the literaturę about VA diameters reflect variety of diagnostic and imaging methods, various sample sizes, different levels of measurements, and lack of possible specific ethnic, regional or genetic data. Additionally, the data are often without distinctions of left-right or of sex. Materials and methods: For this computed tomography (CT) angiographic study 91 adult people (182 VAs) of both sexes (47 males and 44 females) and of age between 33 and 75 years were selected. Diameters were measured at fixed predefined points of VA, marked as inferior (A) point (at V1 part in region of VA origin), as middle (B) point (the end of V1 part), and superior (C) point, at V3 part — 5 mm before VA penetrated the dura. Inferior (A) and middle (B) points actually represent locations at beginning (A) and at terminal (B) regions of V1 part of VA, and superior point C represents terminal part of V3. Results: In total sample ipsilateral (both left [L] and right [R] sided) diameters on investigated levels of VA showed progressive and highly significant decreases. The mean values were on the right side at point A — 3.63 mm, at B point — 3.31 mm, and at C point — 3.08 mm. On the left side, mean values were at point A — 3.76 mm, at B point — 3.50 mm, and at point C — 3.21 mm. Pattern of increasing sex differences in diameters of VA, was ranging from no differences (point A), trough significant (point B), to highly significant differences (point C). For inferior point (A) we did not find significant differences in VA diameters between males (R 3.78 mm; L 3.89 mm) and females (R 3.50 mm; L 3.62 mm), in middle (B) point sex differences were significant (males: R 3.44 mm, L 3.66 mm; females: R 3.18 mm, L 3.33 mm) and in most superior point (C) differences were highly significant (males: R 3.278 mm, L 3.39 mm; females: R 2.88 mm, L 3.01 mm). However, we did not find significant intrasex (in males or in females) left-right differences in mean values of VA diameters for all three investigated levels. Conclusions: Our findings, as the first data about diameters of VA systematically obtained by CT angiography in the population of western Balkans and wider, suggest that in design of future studies of VA diameters is necessary to analyse separately the data for sex, as well as to use defined standard levels

Sex differences of human corpus callosum revealed by polar coordinate system: magnetic resonance imaging study

Background: Evaluation of morphological and size changes related to various pathological conditions of the corpus callosum (CC) requires the data about sex dimorphism of the CC. The purpose of our study is to define potential morphological sex differences of the CC by the use of polar coordinate system as a system of measurements. Materials and methods: After division of the CC into three equal segments by the use of polar coordinate system, we investigated the length of the hemisphere (A-A’), the CC size as its midsagittal section area (CCA), the size of its segments (C1, C2, C3), thickness of the thinnest part of the CC (TCC) and the angular coordinate (a angle) of dorsal point of the TCC in a sample of 30 human brains magnetic resonance images (15 males and 15 females, age 20–50 years). Results: We found significantly larger CCA, C3 segment and the TCC in males. Statistically significant correlation in both, males and females, was found between parameters of the CCA and of all of its segments (C1, C2, C3), the C1 and C2, the C2 and C3 segments, as well as like as between the C2 and TCC. Sex differences were also in findings of significant correlation between the C1 and C3 segments, between CCA and TCC, and of significant negative correlation between the a angle and A-A’ only in females. Conclusions: We concluded that the use of polar coordinate system appropriately reflects the anatomical and encephalometric characteristics of human CC

Internal carotid and vertebral arteries diameters and their interrelationships to sex and left/right side

Background: The available anatomical data about diameters of inflow vessels to the circle of Willis reflect various diagnostic and imaging methods used, sample sizes, levels of measurements, and lack of possible specific ethnic, regional or genetic data. Additionally, the data are often without distinctions about left-right or sex. Materials and methods: Therefore, using computed tomography angiography (CTA) we investigated diameters of internal carotid (ICA) and vertebral (VA) arteries in 70 adult persons (28–75 years) of both sexes (34 males and 36 females), at predefined cervical parts of ICA (2 cm above carotid bifurcation) and of VA (5 mm before VA penetrated the dura). Results: Sex differences were expressed as highly significant larger diameters of left VA (LVA) in males (3.49 mm) than in females (3.00 mm), and as significantly larger diameters of right VA (RVA) in males (3.20 mm) than in females (2.82 mm), as well as of right ICA (RICA) diameters in males (5.04 mm) than in females (4.56 mm), but without such difference for left ICA (LICA) between males (4.82 mm) and females (4.60 mm). Intrasex (in males or in females) left-right differences of ICA and VA diameters were not significant. Significant positive correlations were found in females between RICA and RVA, and in males between RICA and LICA. Calculated mean sum of ipsilateral diameters of right arteries (RAA = RICA + RVA) was in males 8.25 mm, in females 7.38 mm, and of left arteries (LAA = LICA + LVA) was in males 8.31, and in females 7.60 mm, without statistically significant difference between RAA and LAA, neither in males, nor in females. Statistically highly significant larger sums of diameters were in males than in females for both, RAA and LAA. Conclusions: Our findings, as the first data about diameters of ICA and VA systematically obtained by CTA in the population of western Balkans, suggest that in the studies of these diameters is absolutely necessary to analyse separately the data for sex, and to use defined standard levels

Variability of the vertebral artery origin and transverse foramen entrance level — CT angiographic study

Background: Vertebral artery (VA), the main element of the posterior brain circulation, has many anatomical variations which generally were widely investigated. However, available data vary in wide ranges, reflecting very different sample sizes, lack of data about left-right or sex differences, and about possible ethnic, regionally specific or genetic differences.   Materials and methods: Certain new findings suggest possible involvement of some environmental factors in VA variations. Accurate anatomical data about VA variations in different regions of the world, including Balkans countries, are still lacking. Therefore we investigated morphological variability of VA origin and its entrance level into cervical transverse foramina in population of Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), including data about the sex and side.   Results: Anatomy of VA was investigated in 112 persons (224 arteries) of both sexes (58 males, 54 females; age 19–83 years), using 64-slice computed tomography (CT) scanner. Origin of VA from subclavian artery (SCA) we found in 95.08% of arteries (52 males, 49 females). Only in 1 (0.45%) male left VA and left SCA had an specific origin from aortic arch (AA), which we named as an “common area of origin”. All other observed variations in origin were only of left VA, originating from AA in 4.47% (5 males, 5 females). Left VA most often (usual) entrance level into transverse foramen we found at C6 (87.5%), followed by C5 (8.93%), C4 (3.12%), and in 1 case at level C7 (0.45%). Entry levels at C5, both on right and on the left side, were three times more frequent in males than in females.   Conclusions: Wide ranges of differences between the data we obtained on a sample in Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the data from many other studies require further and wider investigations

Third coronary artery in monkey heart

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of follistatin addition on myostatin and follistatin gene expression patterns in C2C12 muscle cells. C2C12 cells were administered with 100 ng/ml recombinant human (rh) follistatin in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 4 mM glutamine and antibiotics daily for three days. Rh follistatin was not added in the control wells. Follistatin and myostatin gene cDNAs were synthesised by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).The time course of follistatin gene expression pattern was similar in both the control and the follistatin-treated group. Myostatin mRNA level significantly increased in the follistatin-treated group after 24 h of culture (Fig. 3, P < 0.01). Amounts then sharply decreased (Fig. 3, P < 0.01) at 48 h of culture, whereas there was no significant difference between the control and the follistatin-treated group at 72 h of culture. Our results demonstrated that myostatin and follistatin mRNA were expressed in C2C12cells and rh follistatin changed the myostatin expression pattern

Razlika u aktivaciji c-fosa u hipokampalnim CA1 neuronima i granularnim neuronima gyrus dentatus-a kod jednokratne i ponovljene ishemije mozga pacova

We investigated the activation of c-fos early gene in the hippocampal region CA1 and gyrus dentatus in two groups of rats. The first group, exposed to global ischemia (during 10 minutes of occlusion of four vessels) was sacrificed 60 minutes after reperfusion, and the second group was first exposed to transient (3-4 minutes) ischemia (preconditioned or tolerant rats) and after 72 hours was again exposed to global ischemia in the same way as the first group. Immunohistochemistry for c-fos protein was performed using the avidin-biotin peroxidase method. Analysis of results included morphological, semiquantitative analysis and t-test of differences between GD and CA1 region of the hippocampus. Results showed a significantly more intense c-fos activation in GD than in the CA1 region in both groups, with global ischemia and preconditioned rats. This indicates different pattern of c-fos activation in investigated brain regions in relation to time factors, and also indicates a strong impact of ischemic preconditioning on c-fos activity in both investigated regions. Our results clearly show that in the future studies of c-fos activation in the brain a very careful experimental design related to the control of distinct regional and time effects needs to be performed.Istraživana je aktivacija ranog gena c-fos u CA1 regionu hipokampusa i u gyrus dentatus-u u dve grupe odraslih pacova. Jedna grupa je bila podvrgnuta globalnoj cerebralnoj ishemiji (tokom 10 minuta okluzije sva četiri krvna suda) i 60 minuta posle reperfuzije pacovi su bili žrtvovani. Druga grupa je bila prvo 3-4 minuta podvrgnuta tranzitornoj ishemiji (rezistentna grupa) i opet je posle 72 sata bila izložena globalnoj ishemiji na isti način kao i prva grupa. Imunohistohemijska analiza reakcije na c-fos protein je izvršena avidin - biotin metodom. Analiza rezultata obuhvatila je morfološku i semikvantitativnu analizu i t-test u izračunavanju značajnosti razlika u reaktivnosti između gyrus dentatus-a i CA1 regiona hipokampusa. Rezultati su u obe grupe pacova, kako posle globalne ishemije, tako i posle tranzitorne i potom globalne ishemije (rezistentna grupa), ukazali na signifikantno veću c-fos aktivaciju u gyrus dentatus-u nego u CA1 regionu. Takođe je u rezistentnoj grupi c-fos aktivacija bila mnogo slabija nego u grupi podvrgnutoj samo globalnoj ishemiji. Sve ovo ukazuje na različit tok procesa c-fos aktivacije u istraž ivanim regionima mozga i u različitim vremenskim fazama eksperimenta. Takođe je dokazan i jak uticaj ishemičkog prekondicioniranja na ovu aktivaciju u oba istraživana regiona. Iz naših rezultata proizlazi da buduće studije moraju biti pažljivo osmišljene, tako da budu kontrolisani regionalni i vremenski efekti. Tek takva istraživanja bi nas približila mogućem korišćenju uticaja aktivnosti c-fos gena u zaštiti moždanih struktura od efekata ishemije