Protective effects of zinc against lead toxicity in adult mice testis and epididymis

Lead is an environmental pollutant which has received much attention, partly because of the particular sensitivity of children to this element. It is capable of impairing many elements of the systems, which results from its great affinity to tissues. Exposure of men to lead has been associated with adverse effects on male reproductive system. So antioxidant nutrients through exogenous supplementation might he associated with beneficial role. Antioxidant nutrients including vitamin E. vitamin C, vitamin B[6], beta-carotene and zinc. This study was designed to investigate the effects of lead following concomitant administration u/zinc on testis and epididymis and its beneficial role in lead-induced oxidative stress. 30 adult male nice were divided into three groups. Group I [control], group II [received lead as lead acetate, 8 mg/kg body weight,] injected to animals intraperitoneal once daily for six weeks while group III [received lead with the same dose as group II and zinc, 1mg/kg zinc sulphate] at the same mime for six weeks. Testes and epididymis were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin. Moreover, Semithin sections of the epididymis and ultrathin sections of the testes were done. The epithelial height in epididymal tubules and the interstitial tissue % in the testes were measured. The testes and epididyinis of lead treated mice showed degenerative changes. The seminiferous tubules Showed disorganization and reduced, germ cells populations which appeared apoptotic with diminished spermatogenesis and deeply stained interstitial cells of Leydig. The interstitial tissue % in the testes increased in lead treated group with high significant difference when compared with control groups. The epididymis appeared damaged with decrease in epididymal epithelial height, in addition to disappearance of apical stereocilia. The testes and epididymis of zinc and lead treated mice showed improvement in the seminiferous and epididymal tubules. In conclusion, zinc played a protective role against lead toxicity in mice testis and epididymis

Evaluation and clinical implications of the radial an ulnar deviation at the wrist: a study among the young Saudi females

Deviation movement at the wrist joint takes place along its antero-posterior axis. The exact range, force, and amplitude are very important factors for the assessment of the movement of joint. Clinically, their normal values become very significant while assessing the movement of a diseased joint to evaluate the functional recovery. In this study, the normal range of radial and ulnar devation at the wrist joint has been studied in three different positions keeping the hypothesis that the position of the extremity also affects the range of the movements. One hundred and fifty young Saudi females, aged between 18 to 22 years, without any history of injury or disease of the wrist joint were subjected to this study. Range of radial and ulnar deviation was recorded using a goniometer in both right and left wrist of the individuals in three lest positions. The data were recorded and compared within the same hand and between the two hands in all the three test positions. It was found that the radial deviation and the total range of movement were higher on the Left side. Maximum radial deviation was noticed in position two and total range was highest in position three. Moreover, the ulnar deviation was also highest in both hands in position three

Teratogenic effects of the organophosphate insecticide, malathion, on the skeleton of developing chick embryo gross morphological study

The objective of this study was to document teratogenicity observed in chick embryos following administration of insecticide malathion in a dose of 2mg in 0.1 ml corn oil, and to suggest reasonable explanations for these anomalies. A total number of 300 eggs of Gallus domesticus species were used. After 48 hours of incubation eggs were divided into 5 groups, of 60 eggs each. The individual groups were subdivided into control [20], and treated [40] eggs. The control eggs were injected with 0.1 ml of corn oil, while the treated eggs were injected with 0.1 ml of corn oil in which 2 mg of malathion were dissolved. Eggs of both control and treated groups were examined at the 5[th], 7[th], 10[th], 14[th] and 18[th] days of incubation, for weight, mortality and morbidity, external malformations and body measurements. Embryos were prepared for skeletal examination with Alizarin red stain and Victoria blue stain. It's observed from the present study that lethality; external malformations and growth retardation, are characteristic features for malathion toxicity in chick embryo. It is observed that, malathion mortality is more frequent in higher age groups [14[th] and 18[th] days of incubation] while teratogenicity is more frequent in younger age groups [5[th] and 7[th] day of incubation]. Significant loss of weight in the treated groups is also observed. The characteristic external malformations were in the form of short lower peak, parrot beak, short neck, wry neck, micromelia of both fore limbs and hind limbs. In addition, tibiotarsal angulations and claw toes were also observed. Abnormal feather distribution, persistence of mesencephalic bulge, eye anomalies and visceral herniation could also be detected. It is concluded from this study that malathion injection is teratogenc in chick embryo when given in the 2[nd] day of incubation. The lethality detected in older age groups could be explained to be secondary to marked teratogenicity in vital organs such as heart [congestive heart failure] or neural tube defects. The toxicity of malathion on developing chick embryo could be explained by its anticholinesterase action or its suppressive effect on nicotinamid dinucleotide [NAD] levels. Also, its genotoxicity or mutagenicity could not be excluded