Reproductive toxic effects in the testes of BALB/c mice exposed to total diesel exhaust

This study used 50 male BALB/c mice divided into three groups [20 in each of test groups A and B and 10 in the control group C]. Group A and group B were exposed to total diesel exhaust [TDE]. The TDE exposures were performed in a cubic wooden box chamber [side length 50 cm] filled with TDE from a diesel fueled car. Group A was moved to the diesel filled chamber and exposed once a day for 30 minutes and group B was moved to the filled chamber and exposed once a day for 60 minutes. The control group was similarly manipulated for 60 minutes without filling the chamber with TDE. The experiment was carried out six days a week for 120 days. Four animals from group A and six animals from group B did not survive to the end of the experiment while the control animals did not have mortalities. Five of the remaining mice from each test group and 2 controls were sacrificed on the 40th day and on the 80th day. Remaining six mice in group A and four mice in group B and six mice from group C were sacrificed at the end of the experiment [120th day]. Testes and vasa efferentia were removed, testes were prepared into sections for histological, immunohistochemical staining and testicular biopsies [5 mg each] were used for Western blotting experiments to detect acrosomal proteins. Vas spermatozoa were prepared as smears for immuno-histochemical study. Down regulation of spermatogenesis reflecting structural damage of the seminiferous tubules was observed in animals sacrificed on the 40th day, this was progressive with time of exposure as seen in samples obtained on the 80th and 120th days The dependence on exposure time was also clear from comparison of sections from groups A and B, Severe oligozoospermia was detected in group A by the end of 80th days and in group B by the end of the 40th day. By the end of the experiment [120 days], the seminiferous tubules from the testes of the two test groups A and B were containing Sertoli cells only. Immunohistochemical staining of testicular sections and vas sperm suspensions using monoclonal antibodies for internal acrosomal proteins revealed a concomitant ultrastructural damage of spermatozoa in the form of defective or absent acrosome and increased proportion of abnormal sperm head morphology. The progressive decrease of sperm and spermatid -specific proteins in testicular biopsies was observed in the immuno blots. It is concluded that exposure to diesel exhaust has a massive reproductive toxicity in male mice manifested by suppression of spermatogenesis and abnormal ultra structures of vas spermatozoa. Also, the reproductive toxic effect of diesel exhaust exposure is both dose [exposure time]-dependent and duration [repeated exposures]-dependent

medicolegal study of sexual offences in Dakahlia governorate

Sexual crimes are complex and multidimensional, over the past decade there has been an increase in and awareness of the sexual assaults especially the child sexual Abuse. It is difficult to estimate the true incidence of sexual assaults in both sexes. Retrospective study [from 1996-1999 years] and prospective study [during the year 2000] of 650 cases of sexual assaults of both sexes [their ages ranged from less than one year to 48 years] were examined in Forensic Medicine Administration of El-Mansoura during the period from 1996-2000. Females were exposed to sexual assaults more than males [the ratio was 3:2 respectively]. 62.6% of all victims aged from less than one year to 15 years and most of them were males. While 3 7.4% of victims were above 15 years and most of them were females. The highest percentages of offences referred from large cities [Mansoura 30.9% and Talkha 11.1%]. Illiterate [25.5%] and low educated [44.3%]victims were highly exposed to sexual assault more than other levels. Single females were more exposed to sexual assaults [91.6%] than others [married women, widows and divorced]. Invalid consent was recorded in 49.3% of 150 cases studied during the year 2000. While valid consent represented 6.0% of them. Through the 5 years study, 436 cases [67.1%] of 650 victims of sexual assaults know the assailant [membership, friendship, work related, lovers and neighbors]. Among these cases 28 [4.3%] were assaulted by their fathers, 5. [0.9%] by their brothers and 3 [0.5%] by their uncles. Whereas, in 214 cases [32.9], the assailants were strangers. The most common places that the sexual assault occurred was the assailant's house or workshop[when the victim worked with the assailant], victim's house, fields, desert places, folds, and cars. Signs of general violence [abrasions, contusions, and bite marks] were evident only in 14.6% of 650 victims, whereas in 85.4% of cases there was no evident signs of general violence. Manual force was applied in 22 victims [14.7%] and knives were used in 17 [11.3%] cases. Local findings on the genitalia were present in 253 cases [64.1%] of total 395 female victims. The most common was hymenal tears [recent and/or old] in 204 cases [51.6%]. Other signs included: vulval bruises in 7 cases [1.8%], perineal tears in 2 cases [0.5%] and signs of frequent intercourse [eroded hymenal edges, remnant hymen, roomy vagina, smooth vaginal walls] in 33 cases [8.4%]. Local anal findings were recorded in 33.5% of 650 cases of both sexes. These findings included anal bruises, anal clefts, abrasions, and signs of frequent abuse. Positive results of clothes examination for blood and/or semen was recorded in 117 cases [18.0%], while negative results were recorded in 409 of cases and in 127 cases [19.5%] the examination of clothes for blood or semen was not performed. In the studied 395 total female cases throughout the 5 years, only 17 case [4.3%] gave positive vaginal swab for semen. And only one rectal swab [0.2%] was positive for semen 14 hours after the assault. The incidence of pregnancy among assaulted 323 fertile females was 37 [9.4%] cases and no positive results of sexually transmitted diseases were recorded

Cytotoxic apoptotic enhancing activities of the crude juice of an ornamental plant [Euphorbia tirucalli] on human cancer cells

Currently used Cancer chemotherapy has numerous side effects. This motivates researchers towards finding safer and clinically effective anti-cancer drugs of plant origin. We tested the milky juice of Euphorbia tirucalli [called sap or latex] after an observation of a fast irritant action on the skin and mucous membranes exposed to the sap coming out from its cut parts. Cell cultures, prepared from the fresh surgically removed human primary tumors [glioma, myelo-genous leukemia and breast cancer] were used in this study in the following number of patients 18, 26 and 20 respectively. Cell suspensions of 0.5 lamda10[5] cells/ml were maintained in RPMI-1640 culture media, and then the plant juice was added in serial dilutions to reach a final concentration of 5,10, 20, micro l per ml tissue culture. All cells were incubated for 72 hours in humidified CO2 incubator. Cells were examined at 24 hours interval for 3 days using viability test, staining with FITC [Fluorescene Iso Thio-Cynate]-conjugated anti-Caspase 9 antibodies and flow cytometry Normal white blood cells [n=20 volunteers] were used as controls to test selectivity and cytotoxicity. A significant direct selective cytotoxic action of the sap of Euphorbia tirucalli on human cancer cells compared to the controls [P < 0.001] for glioma cells, myelogenous leukemia cells and breast cancer cells. Also, similar significant effects of antimetabolite drug [methotrexate sodium] but with a more significant toxicity on normal WBCs, compared to / tirucalli sap Malignant cells responded to the sap treatments in a dose and duration dependent manner and the IC[50] [Inhibition Concentration 50] of the crude juice was found to be 10 microl of crude juice per ml tissue culture medium. Cell cycle analysis showed that the crude juice of Euphorbia tirucalli is capable of arresting the majority of cells in G[1] phase of the cell progression cycle. At the IC[50], the control cells did not show microscopically detectable change of morphology or viability. This study may introduce a new candidate plant for further studies to isolate and characterize the active, selectively cytotoxic and potentially anti-proliferative biological components in the sap of Euphorbia tirucalli

Immunohistochemical localization of P53 in human nasal epithelium exposed to wood dusts

The nasal passages are the first site of contact of the respiratory tract with the environment and offer significant protection to the lower respiratory tract from toxic air pollutants [including particulate matters, chemicals, and gaseous air pollutants]. This activity, which includes removal, of certain pollutants, places the nose at risk of pathological changes including cancer. Woodworkers exposed to wood dusts had a health risk. The present study was carried out on 70 woodworkers [47 smokers and 23 non smokers] and a control group of 36 [18 smokers and 18 non smokers] male office worker clinical data with emphasis on nasal/ respiratory symptoms were evaluated. Nasal biopsies from 32 subjects were taken for histopathological studies and immunohistochemical staining to assess accumulation of p53 protein: Woodworkers complained of nasal dryness, nasal crusting, nasal obstruction rhinorrhea and epistaxis: There were no significant differences between, smokers and non smokers woodworkers in clincal data except for nasal dryness. Their biopsies showed basal cell hyperplasia [45.0%] and dysplastsc lesions [25.0%], which were located on antral squamous epithelium and they exhibited p53 nuclear accumulation in 42.86% of these cases. Additionally, each of the nasal / respiratory symptomatology or basal cell hyperplasia of antral nasal mucosa were significantly associated with duration of exposure to wood dusts more than 20 years. Thus, the present study suggested that, the accumulation of p53 protein in dysplastic nasal lesions of the prolonged exposure to wood dust pollutants raises the possibility of p53 mutation. P53 protein alterations provide a selective advantage for clonal expansion of preneoplastic or neoplastic cells. So, nasal passages provide a valuable sentinel tissue for the detection of toxic air pollutants

Estimation of sex from calcaneus verus metatarsal bones in Egyptians

Although cranial and pelvic bones are the preferred skeletal materials used by Forensic anthropologists to assign unknown individuals to their most probable sex, these remains may be unavailable. In the present study, lateral and anterophosterior radiographs of the ankles and foot of 120 Egyptians aged 20 up to 50 years were analysed with regard to sexual dimorphism. Length, height, minimal height, Bochler's angle, tuber plantar angle and front angle were measured from each calcaneous. Also, the length and mid shaft diameter were taken from all metatarsals. There was obviously a greater difference between males and females in the linear measurements of calcaneus than in angels. Sexual dimorphism was most distinct in length and midshaft diameter of metatarsals. The present study suggests that radiographs of the ankles and foot are convenient, rapid, cheap and non invasive means for estimating sex in skeletal cases as well as cases where there are intact soft tissue