Genes involved in biosynthesis and signalisation of ethylene in Brassica oleracea and Arabidopsis thaliana: identification and genome comparative mapping of specific gene homologues.

The study reported was aimed at the identification and determination of the chromosomal organisation of genes involved in the ethylene biosynthesis and signalling pathways in Brassica oleracea, on the basis of the Arabidopsis thaliana DNA probes and in silico genome analysis. Because of its polyploidal origin, the B. oleracea genome is characterised by extensive gene redundancy. Therefore, an important aspect of gene expression in B. oleracea response to environmental stimuli is to identify the specific gene copy involved. This aspect should also be taken into consideration while studying the genetic basis of biosynthesis and signal transduction in relation to basic phytohormones. Our present work concerns the identification of homologue genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis such as SAM, ACS and ACO, as well as those involved in the ethylene signalling pathway, mainly ETR1, CTR1, MKK4, MKK5, EIN2, EIN3, EREBP, ERF5 and ERF7 on the basis of the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and PCR mapping. In the case of ACC synthases, (ACSs) the in silico analysis of gene variants in the genome of A. thaliana was followed by the identification of homologues to ACS2, ACS6 and ACS7 in the B. oleracea database. In total, 22 loci with sequence homology to the genes under analysis were included in the existing B. oleracea RFLP chromosomal map. Based on the stress responsiveness of most of the A. thaliana genes analysed in this study, we performed initial functional analysis of some gene homologues mapped. With the use of the RT-PCR approach the conservation of differential transcriptional induction of ACS homologues in the B. oleracea and A. thaliana was demonstrated during ozone stress.

Variation in morphology of the biceps brachii and coracobrachialis muscles associated with abnormal course of blood vessels and nerves.

On the right upper limb, during laboratory dissection the low division of the common trunk of the musculocutaneous nerve and the lateral root of the median nerve, low fusion of two roots of the median nerve as well as accessory heads of the coracobrachialis and biceps brachii muscles were found. The axillary and brachial arteries showed abnormal course.

Metric features of the iliopsoas muscle in late fetuses and adults.

Differences in structure of iliopsoas muscle were documented in studies performed on 12 human fetuses, aging 37 to 40 weeks of gestational life and on 20 adult individuals. Results of measurements performed on the muscle were compared between fetuses of the perinatal age and adult individuals. Indirectly, the comparison allowed to draw conclusions as to changes in the muscle structure which take place in between the two developmental stages. The process was monitoring applying the metric techniques of studies and statistical interpretation of the results.

Variability in origin and topography of the inferior epigastric and obturator arteries.

The inferior epigastric and obturator arteries were dissected in 75 lower limbs. In most cases (76%) the inferior epigastric artery arose from the external artery above the inguinal ligament. In the remaining cases the artery originated within the vascular lacuna. In 12% it took origin from the external iliac, in 8% from the femoral, and in 4% of cases it originated with the common trunk with obturator artery. The latter artery originated also from the inferior epigastric (2.6% of instances), and from the external iliac artery (in 1.3% of cases). In 92% of specimens the obturator artery took off from the internal iliac artery at different level.

Histological and quantitative studies of the muscle spindles in human fetal infrahyoid muscles.

Muscle spindles were investigated in 19 human fetuses, aged 11 to 17 weeks. First spindles were observed in 11th week. The number of muscle spindles increases with advancement of the development being highest in the omohyoid muscle.

Metric features of the human biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis muscles.

Analysis of metric features of the biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis muscles in adult humans showed distinct correlation between metric features of particular muscles and statistically significant dimorphic differences.

Number and localization of the muscle spindles in the human fetal sternocleidomastoid muscle.

The muscle spindles were counted in 16 sternocleidomastoid muscles of human fetuses aged 12-18 weeks. The greatest number of muscle spindles were noted in the middle of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

Topography of the femoral nerve in relation to components of the iliopsoas muscle in human fetuses.

Studies were performed on 60 human fetuses of both sexes of 35 to 365 mm C.-R. length (9-40 weeks). The psoas minor muscle was found in 25.8% of cases independently of sex and body side. In 6.45% of cases the muscle continued into psoas major muscle by short, weakly developed tendon. In 97.5% of studied fetuses junctions between tendons of psoas major and iliacus muscles was observed. In 2.5% of cases an independent, short tendon was found in the half of length of the iliacus muscle. In 7.5% of cases connection between the psoas major and iliacus muscles was found. In all cases femoral nerve originated from the lumbar plexus between two layers of the psoas major muscle and it ran in the groove between the psoas major and iliacus muscles towards the muscular lacuna. In 5.0% of cases the nerve divided into crura. In 2.5% of cases the crura embraced anteriorly and posteriorly bundles of the psoas major muscle as well as in 2.5% of cases bundles of the iliacus muscle.

Formation of extensor digitorum muscle proportions before and after birth.

Studies on the formation of the extensor digitorum muscle morphological characteristics were carried out on material of 85 human fetuses (42 males and 43 females), 16 to 36 weeks old, and 45 adults (31 males and 14 females). Intermediary conclusions were drawn on probable changes occurring in the morphological formation of the muscle after birth, as a result of comparing proportions of the muscle at the fetal stage with its form in adults. In this work, the anthropometric method of study and statistical analysis of results have been applied. Analysis of the results in the fetal group has shown that all metrical characteristics of the muscle reach their maximum values at the end of the investigated ontogenetic space. This is, naturally, a consequence of evolution and growth of all fetal body measures, including elongation of forearms. However, the evolution of the individual muscle characteristics is not regular and though the direction of this growth is similar, its extent varies, and also differs slightly in sexual groups. Comparison of the values of muscle indices for 9 month old fetuses with the same indices for adults shows that relative dimensions of all investigated muscular characteristics decrease during the post-natal period except the relative length of the tendon.

Anthropomorphology of sternocleidomastoid muscle.

This paper present descriptive and metrical investigations of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The studies were carried out on 54 human fetuses in the age from 12 to 24 weeks of intrauterine life. The observation results are presented against the background of the most frequent varieties of this muscle in the Primates. The muscle most frequently consisted of 2 heads: the sternal and the clavicular heads which terminated with a very wide attachment on the cranium--from the posterior edge of the external acoustic foramen to the plane of symmetry on the occiput. Very frequently the muscle heads were double or even triple or fourfold due to the occurrence of additional muscle bands. In several cases ther occurred the Wood's cleido-occipital muscle. The analysis of the metrical characteristics of the muscle has shown that in the investigated developmental period, the muscle attachments significantly increase, particularly between the 4 and 5 months. The increase of the width of muscle attachments is the consequence of the increase in the dimensions of the corresponding parts of the skeleton testified by the high correlation coefficients. No statistically confirmed dimorphic and asymmetric differences in the dimensions of muscle attachments have been found.