The results of modern anatomical and surgical studies indicate the most important role in maintaining the lateral and rotational stability of the knee joint of a number of anatomical structures that are part of the structure of its lateral region - the tendon of popliteal muscle, fibular collateral ligament, as well as the anterolateral ligament of the joint capsule. The aim of the investigation was to study the variant anatomy of the fibular collateral ligament, the tendon of popliteal muscle, the popliteal fibular ligament and the anterolateral ligament of the knee, and to determine the places of their attachment. The study was carried out on 54 anatomical preparations of the lower extremities. The anatomical features of the fibular collateral ligament, the tendon of popliteal muscle, the popliteal fibular ligament and the anterolateral ligament of the knee were studied by precision anatomical dissections and morphometry. The length of the fibular collateral ligament ranged from 51 to 69 mm and averaged 62,4±3,6 mm. In all cases, the place of its attachment to the lateral condyle of the femur had an oval shape with rather clearly defined boundaries. The anterolateral ligament of the knee is found in 20,4%. In all observations, it was located in the thickness of the knee joint capsule. Its length varied from 31 to 41 mm, with an average of 37,4±4,5 mm. The center of the attachment site of the popliteal muscle was located at a distance of 19,1±5,66 mm from the lower surface of the lateral condyle of the femur and 36,2±4,95 mm from its posterior surface, and on all studied anatomical preparations it was localized on average by 14,2±3,1 mm anteriorly and downwardly from the attachment site of the fibular collateral ligament, which makes it possible to perform their simultaneous anatomical reconstruction. The new information obtained about the variant anatomy, attachment points and morphometric characteristics of the studied formations made it possible to formulate a new concept - the lateral ligamentous-tendon complex of the knee joint. The expediency of combining the studied anatomical structures into a functionally single ligamentous-tendon complex has been substantiated. Variants of the anatomical structure of its components are demonstrated.

Morphometric changes in neurons in the prefrontal cortex of white laboratory rats under conditions of protein deficiency in food after acute sound exposure remain unexplored. Purpose: morphometry of neurons in the prefrontal cortex of sexually mature white laboratory rats after acute sound exposure in conditions of low-protein food. The experiments were carried out on 64 sexually mature nonlinear white laboratory male rats weighing 180-230 g (8 - intact, 56 - experimental). After a single continuous sound exposure with an intensity of 120 dB for 120 seconds, 56 rats were divided into 2 groups: with balanced food (control - 28) and low-protein food (main food - 28); with two subgroups in each: stress-resistant (12) and stress-nonresistant (16). The animals were removed from the experiment on days 10, 20, 30 and 40 after the start of the experiment. Samples of prefrontal cortex preparations were examined histologically, immunohistochemically, and morphometrically. After acute sound exposure, the indicators of the area of ​​the cytoplasm, nucleus and nucleoli of neurons in the prefrontal cortex of white laboratory rats change. Chromatolysis of Nissl's substance occurs in most neurons of the II-III layers of neurons. During all periods of observation, morphometric changes were most pronounced in stress-nonresistant animals of the main group of experiments, especially in the first 10 days after exposure. Chromatolysis in neurons of the prefrontal cortex persists until the end of the experiment, which indicates incomplete repair of the intracellular protein-synthesizing functional system after acute sound stress. Thus, an acute sound effected causes morphometric changes in neurons and initiates chromatolysis of Nissl's substance in them in layers II-III of the cortex of the prefrontal region of the brain of white laboratory rats. Chromatolysis in animals with low-protein food after acute sound exposure in the II-III layers of the prefrontal cortex is irreversible, remains statistically significantly high and can be regarded as a manifestation of decompensation of structural changes in animals under conditions of protein deficiency in food.

Azoospermia is a state in which there are no sperm in the ejaculate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of the use of pentoxifylline activation of spermatozoa obtained after testicular biopsy in azoospermia and to compare the indicators of embryological and clinical stages when using native and frozen spermatozoa for fertilization in programs of assisted reproductive technologies. A total of 91 testicular biopsy procedures were performed, followed by microscopic examination of the biopsy specimen in order to detect spermatozoa in it. The activation of immotile spermatozoa was carried out using a phosphodiesterase inhibitor - pentoxifylline. Conducted 20 biopsy procedures, fertilization was carried out with native spermatozoa (group I). In the other 71 cases, the biopsy was diagnostic and performed in advance. In 29 cases, spermatozoa were found, cryopreserved and in 22 cases thawed for the fertilization procedure (group II). The analysis of embryological and clinical indicators of artificial insemination was carried out, in which native (group I) and frozen (group II) testicular spermatozoa were used after activation by pentoxifylline. The use of pentoxifylline made it possible to select actively mobile forms of spermatozoa for fertilization. In accordance with the data obtained, the fertilization rate was higher in the group using native testicular spermatozoa compared to the group in which fertilization was carried out after their preliminary cryopreservation. However, no statistically significant difference in the rates of fertilization in the studied groups could be identified. Indicators of preimplantation development of embryos also did not show a statistically significant difference in the studied groups. The use of pentoxifylline makes it possible to identify viable male gametes and select them for fertilization by intracytoplasmic injection of a sperm cell into an egg after a testicular biopsy. The main clinical indicator - the pregnancy rate was comparable and did not show a statistically significant difference in the study groups, which indicates the formation of competent embryos when using as frozen and native biological material of testes after activation with pentoxifylline. Freezing of testicular spermatozoa does not negative effect to its ability to fertilize.

According to the modern anthropological literature, cephalometric and somatometric parameters of young peoples in different climatic-geographical regions have different quantitative values, while only some of the indicators are associated with craniometric characteristics. One of the modern methods of studying the facial skull is teleradiography of the head. The aim of our study was to assess some morphological parameters of the maxillofacial region of 18-20-year-old girls according to head teleradiography in lateral projection, taking into account the shape of the head and somatotype to form an idea of the regional typological features of the facial skeleton of girls. A cephalometric and somatometric study of 39 girls from Omsk city (Russia) of 18-20 years old in a single ethno-territorial population was carried out to calculate the following parameters: head index, facial index according to Garson, Rees-Eysenck index, Rohrer, body mass index, Pignet index. According to the results obtained, the longitudinal size of the girls' head was 18,3 cm (18;18,5) - Me (Q1;Q3), the transverse size of the head was 14,7 cm (14;15), the zygomatic diameter was 13 cm (12,6;13,6), full face height - 11 cm (10,5;11,5), body height - 165 cm (162;171,5), body weight - 58 kg (54;63), chest circumference - 84,5 cm (81;87), transverse chest diameter - 26 cm (24,9;27). Differences from the values of normative regional indicators of the following parameters were established: the angle of the lower jaw (∠Ar-Go-Me - 121,1º), the upper jaw angle (∠N-Go-Ar - 50,2º), the inclination of the lower jaw to the occlusal plane (∠ Go-Gn-OP - 12,8º), the length of the anterior base of the skull (SN - 65,6 mm) were lower in values. The parameters of the ratio of the length of the body of the lower jaw to the length of the anterior base of the skull (Go-Me/S-N - 101,25), the ratio of the height of the face (S-Go/N-Me - 67%) were higher in values. The upper jaw angle (N-Go-Ar) had different values depending on the shape of the face (p=0,0156). The articular angle (S-Ar-Go) values varied depending on the shape of the head. Some differences in the frequency of occurrence of girls with different types of faces and head shapes, depending on anthropometric indicators and somatotypes, were also obtained. In general, girls of Omsk 18-20 years old are characterized by euryprosopic face shape and brachycephalia. The values of the upper jaw angle (N-Go-Ar) depend on the shape of the face, and the shape of the head determines the magnitude of the articular angle (S-Ar-Go).

The study of the relationship of a number of somatometric parameters with the characteristics of the reproductive functions of men is an urgent problem of modern andrology and reproductive medicine. The purpose of the study was to establish the reference values ​​of genitometric parameters in young men living in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the features of their relationship with somatometric parameters as conjugate predictors of reproductive functions. The survey involved adult boys of indigenous nationality aged 18-20 years, permanently residing in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), a total of 74 people. Anthropometric measurements included measurements of total body size and weight, body composition by bio-impedancemetry. Ultrasound examination of the scrotum was performed on a portable ultrasound sonograph «Mindray M7» using a linear transducer with a frequency of 7,5 MHz. Ultrasound scanning of testicles was made in three projections, of testicles appendages - in two projections. Testicular volume in ml was calculated using Brown's (1981) formula. Statistically significant differences in anthropometry and bio-impedancemetry data in two groups of young men with normal and elevated body mass index values ​​are shown. The average value of the body mass index of young men was 22,09±0,82. Normal body weight was determined in 78,2% of young men, overweight - in 21,8%, cases of obesity and underweight were not detected. The most variable are the length of the right testicle (4,29±0,14 cm), the most stable and independently varying are the latitudinal dimensions of the testicles (the thickness of the left testicle was 2,18±0,05 cm). Bilateral differences in the size of the testicles were established, the parameters of the right testicle significantly exceed those of the left testicle. A statistically significant correlation is inherent in the average volume of the testicles with the phase angle, moderate - with indicators of active cell mass and skeletal muscle mass. The data obtained can be used as reference values ​​in clinical practice to assess development and compliance with age norms and in the diagnosis of disorders of physical development and the reproductive system.

Data on the component composition of the body are widely used in the study of individual characteristics, assessment of physical development and physical performance, indicate the nutritional status of a person and pathology in the body. Most of the adult population of Russia is overweight and obese, with age the risk of disability increases significantly due to a decrease in skeletal muscle mass. There have been no studies devoted to the issue of the component composition of the body of adult men in the Yaroslavl region. The purpose of the study is to study the age-related dynamics of the body composition of men living in the Yaroslavl region. 2623 men aged 20-79 were examined. The sample was divided by decades into 6 age groups. In the surveyed, the body weight and length were measured, followed by the calculation of the body mass index. Characteristics of the body composition were obtained and evaluated using the bioimpedance analyzer ABC-01 «MEDASS». A comparative analysis of the body composition of men of different ages revealed ten-day changes. The optimum of physical working capacity and development in terms of bioimpedancemetry falls on 20-29 years. More than half of the surveyed over 30 years of age were overweight and obese. The greatest role in the increase in body weight from 20 to 49 years was played by fat mass. The increase in the absolute values ​​of active cell mass and skeletal muscle mass occurred up to 39 years and amounted to 6,1% and 2,5%, respectively, and their relative values ​​showed a negative trend. Body weight changed statistically significantly up to 49 years, increasing by 13,7%, after 59 years there was a statistically significant decrease in body weight by 10,5%. In men older than 50 years, a decrease in all elements of lean mass was noted, which indicated a decrease in physical performance and a deterioration in health. The age characteristics identified in the work can serve as a basis for the development of regional medical and social programs aimed at improving health, preventing diseases, improving the quality of life of the population and increasing its duration.

Purulent peritonitis causes changes in the structure and function of the organs of the neuroendocrine, hematopoietic, cardiovascular and other functional systems. Pronounced structural changes are observed in the liver and organs of the gastrointestinal tract. The problem of treatment of acute peritonitis and the issue of compensatory-adaptive reactions of the abdominal organs remain relevant at the present time. The aim of the study was to study the morphological and functional changes in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes of the interlobular excretory bile ducts in the conditions of the development of experimental peritonitis, which was reproduced by creating a focus of necrotic damage in the ventral abdominal wall and diffuse septic inflammation in the abdominal cavity. In an experiment on white mice (n=35), a model of acute serous-purulent peritonitis was created. Animals under ether anesthesia were subjected to laparotomy and the abdominal cavity was contaminated with a mixture containing 10 ml of auto-punction of the terminal part of the small intestine and blood at the rate of 10 ml per 1 kg of body weight. Peritonitis was reproduced by creating a focus of necrotic damage in the ventral abdominal wall and diffuse septic inflammation in the abdominal cavity, this model of peritonitis is most often used in experimental gastroenterology. A complex of morphological research methods was used, including histochemical and electron microscopy. The data obtained showed that during the development of experimental peritonitis, at first, cellular-nuclear polymorphism of hepatocytes and an increase in their protein-synthesizing function are observed, then hepatocytes undergo dystrophy, accompanied by changes in biochemical parameters (nucleoproteins, phosphatase activity, neutral fat, glycosaminoglycan, glycogen), the appearance of small-focal necrosis, in the future, as the process fades, the liver tissue is restored. Changes in the bile ducts were less pronounced, they were observed leukocyte infiltration, hypersecretion of mucus, cholangio-fibrosis. The data obtained expand the representations about of organ-specific changes in hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, connective tissue of the portal tracts and interlobular layers, cell lining of the hepatic sinusoids, elements of the peri-sinusoid space and mesothelium of the visceral peritoneum in experimental purulent peritonitis.

Mineral density of bone tissue is one of the markers of the regulation of the process of adaptation of the body to the conditions of high-performance sports. The study of the mineral density of the bones of the distal part of the lower extremity by the methods of X-ray and ultrasound densitometry revealed the coincidence of the indicators of the mineralization of the heel bone, however, for people involved in sports, these methods give contradictory results. The aim of the study is to comparatively study the variability of the indicators of the mineral density of bone tissue in conditions of adaptation to different types of sports activities, age-related characteristics of bone mineralization in adolescents who are and do not go in for sports using the methods of ultrasound and X-ray densitometry. The method of ultrasonic densitometry obtained data on bone mineral density in 586 athletes of various sports specializations. The use of linear reference X-ray densitometry made it possible to investigate the mineral density of the second metatarsal bone and calcaneus in 128 adolescents 13-17 years old, practicing pole vaulting, and 112 adolescents who are not involved in sports. It was found that in the pubertal period the mineral density of the second metatarsal bone and the calcaneus both in adolescents of the control group and in pole vaulters decreases towards the end of the pubertal period, an increase in mineral density is noted. When performing pole vaults, athletes' feet are exposed to the influence of excessive shock and push loads, in this regard, the indices of the mineralization of the second metatarsal bone and heel bone in pole vaulters exceed those in adolescents in the control group. The mineral density of the second metatarsal bone and heel bone at the age of 14 in adolescents in the control group and pole vaulters decreases. At the age of 15 to 16-17 years, the mineral density of these bones increases and stabilizes in all examined. The indices of the mineral density of the II metatarsal and heel bones in pole vaulters, experiencing a greater load during push-off, are higher than in adolescents in the control group of the same age. The greatest amount of mineral density of the second metatarsal bone was found in the most loaded pushing leg among athletes, as compared to the swing leg, with a work experience of 2-3 years and 4-5 years.

One of the important tasks of modern anatomy is the study of the age dynamics of morphological features of the human body. Different timing of the appearance of ossification centers may be due to certain interethnic differences, and the age of ossification of individual bones may differ in representatives of different ethno-geographic populations. The formation of criteria for assessing the growth processes of children should be based on data developed in the study of a particular population, taking into account the specifics of the ethnic composition of the population. The purpose of the study is to establish the features in the timing of the appearance of ossification points in the bones of the wrist in children in Tajikistan. The material for the study was 209 radiographs of the right hand of children and adolescents of both sexes aged 6-15 years, permanently residing in Tajikistan. The study revealed sex related differences in the process of ossification of the carpal bones. Ethnic features have been established in the age terms of the appearance of ossification centers in Tajik children. In children of Tajikistan, the latest age for the appearance of the ossification point in the lunate and triquetral bones has been established. On radiographs of girls in 100% of cases, the ossification point of the triquetral bone was observed at the age of 6 years, in the lunate and trapezoid bones at 7 years, in the navicular and trapezoid bones at 8 years. In boys, only at the age of 8 years, in 100% of cases, ossification points were visualized in all the bones of the wrist, except for the pisiform bone. The results of the study differ from the data obtained for children living in St. Petersburg and the North-Western region, as well as Saudi Arabia. Thus, the timing of the appearance of ossification points in the bones of the wrist of Tajik children has ethnic characteristics that may be associated with the influence of hereditary factors, which should be taken into account to assess the physical development of children during their migration to other countries and regions. The established latest dates for the appearance of centers of ossification in the bones of the wrist, if necessary, can be used to clarify the chronological age of Tajik children.

The clinical significance of atrial fibrillation is largely associated with the risk of thromboembolic complications, which are most often caused by the formation of a thrombus in the left atrial appendage. The aim of the study was to systematize the data presented in the literature on the role of morphological features of the left atrial appendage in the development of atrial thrombosis and thromboembolic complications in patients with atrial fibrillation. Materials and research methods consisted of searching for articles in the RSCI and PubMed (MEDLINE) databases, using the following keywords: «left atrial appendage», «left atrial thrombosis», «epicardial fat», «atrial fibrillation». As a result of a meta-analysis of the literature, it was found that a number of studies have shown the likelihood of thrombus formation in the left atrial appendage and its anatomical features interrelated, in particular, the likelihood of thrombosis in the anatomical type of the left atrial appendage in the form of a «chicken wing» significantly lower than with other variants of its structure. However, the question of the reasons for the predominant formation of blood clots in the appendage of the left rather than right atrium remains unclear. One of the possible reasons may be the inherent endocrine function of the left atrial appendage, which is expressed in the secretion of a number of biologically active substances, in particular, natriuretic peptide. Another possible reason for the predominant formation of blood clots in the left atrial appendage may be its close contact with the atrial depot of epicardial fat, the excess of which plays an important role in the development of a number of cardiovascular diseases. The question of the morphological prerequisites for the development of thrombosis mainly in the left atrial appendage seems to be insufficiently studied. The study of this issue can improve the effectiveness of prevention of thromboembolic complications in atrial fibrillation.

The reviewed monograph «The Gray Matter of the Spinal Cord» is devoted to a detailed description of the histological structure, histochemical characteristics of the tissue elements of the spinal cord and the sensory (spinal) ganglion. The scientific materials presented in the monograph were obtained as a result of a thorough morphometric analysis of histological preparations; the data presented by the authors are reliable and scientifically proven. The authors present little-known facts about the features of the segmental, nuclear, lamellar structure of the spinal cord, its cyto- and dendro-architectonics, and analyze the cell-differential composition. A large amount of literature data from Russian and foreign studies on immune-histochemical phenotypes of sensory ganglion neurons and their features are analyzed. The results of our own research are beautifully illustrated with high-quality color microphotographs of histological preparations, quantitative data are summarized in visual tables. The book is characterized by a logical presentation of the material; its high printing performance attracts attention. The fund of modern scientific literature has been replenished with an extremely useful monograph, which will be very interesting for biologists, histologists, physiologists, neurologists and other specialists interested in morphological and functional studies of spinal cord neurocytes and sensory (spinal) nodes.