Stereologucal and histological studies on the effect of nicotine administration and its withdrawal on the interstitial tissue of the albino rat testis

The present study was carried out to gain more insight on the effect of nicotine on interstitial tissue and the process of spermatogenesis. Also, the possible reversibility of nicotine effects was studied. Different stereological techniques were employed in a trail of precise assessment of its effects on male fertility. The testes were subjected to light and electron microscopic examinations. The testes of nicotine treated animals reveled remarkable degenerative changes in the interstitial cells of Leydig. The interstitial tissue appeared expanded around the atretic seminiferous tubules, with appearance of interstitial odema, increased number of fibroblastic cells and thickening in the wall of the blood vessels. The ultrastructure of interstitial cell of Leydig declared the drastic effect of nicotine upon this cell. The nucleus appeared dense and irregular in shape. Its chromatin texture was disrupted with distorted outline, which might be interrupted at certain areas. The cytoplasm showed accumulation of lipid droplets, lysosomes, dilated smooth endoplasmic reticulum and damaged mitochondria. The nicotine treated animals revealed an increased volume proportion of the interstitial tissue. Leydig cells nuclei exhibited a significant increase in their nuclear diameter and also in nuclear surface area/total cell surface area. On rehabilitation, the picture appeared to be improved in all histological and stereological parameters to become more or less similar to the control. The ultrastructural study of Leydig cells demonstrated a marked degree of recovery in their nuclear and cytoplasmic features. Also, all the stereological pameters revealed a great improvement

Digital patterns and dermatoglyphic genetic traits in some populations

Finger and palm prints of 620 persons represented three different Afro- Asian populations; Upper Egyptians [200 males and 100 females], Indians [100 males and 34 females] and Philippinians [98 males and 88 females] were examined in an attempt to establish their dermatoglyphic patterns on finger tips, middle proximal phalanges in addition to studying their dermatoglyphic genetic traits and palmar flexion creases. The results showed a characteristic high frequency of loop ulnar, loop radial and arches patterns in female Egyptians and whorls pattern in female Philippinians. Certain striking features were observed on the finger tips in some individual fingers in each population. The middle and proximal phalanges showed clear differences in all groups of pattern types among the three populations. The total finger ridge count and the atd angle were significantly increased in Egyptians. Abnormal palmar flexion creases were more common in Indians and Philippinians. These variations might reflect the great genetic and environmental differences between the three populations