Metacarpal bones as indicators of stature

Formulae for prediction of stature from metacarpal lengths are presented. Stature was measured in 133 [84 males and 49 females] Upper Egyptians with age range from 2 to 42 years. Radiographs of both hands of each subject were taken. The interarticular length of all five metacarpal bones was measured in each hand. A significant correlation between stature and metacarpal length was noticed in both hands and in both sexes. Regression equations were computed from each metacarpal length, by which living stature may be fairly accurately estimated in the absence of any complete long limb bones

Some electron microscopic aspects of underfed Purkinje cell

Newborn mice were subjected to underfeeding during the period of lactation by doubling the little size per lactating mother. Underfed and normally fed pups were sacrificed at two and three postnatal weeks. The cerebellum was fixed in gluteraldehyde. Small blocks from the paravermal region were post fixed in osmic acid. Dehydrated and embedded in epon. Thin sections at 0.04 mu were cut and stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate and visualized with the electron microscope to detect the Ultrastructural changes in the underfed Purkinje cell. Purkinje cell of the control pups was well differentiated al two / three postnatal weeks with centralized euchromatic nucleus surrounded by a cytoplasm rich in Nissl substance and mitochondria. Underfed Purkinje cell was delayed in its differentiation as indicated by segmented irregular rough endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomal pool. These changes with the fewer number of mitochondria declares the reduced protein synthesizing machinery. Granule cells exhibited immature glomeruli with less synaptic contacts and fewer mitochondria than the control. These changes confirm the delayed differentiation and maturation of Purkinje neurons as a result of postnatal underfeeding

Effect of indomethacin on some parenchymatous organs in rats

The effect of indomethacin on some parenchymatous organs of rats was microscopically studied. It was shown that many organs were affected following the therapeutic doses of indomethacin after 14 days of administration. The lungs showed congestion and haemorrhagic areas with thickening of the interstitial septa. The liver showed cellular infiltration and congested portal vessels, sinusoids and central veins, together with cloudy swellings of the hepatocytes and focal necrosis. Specimens of the kidney showed areas of interstitial hameorrhage and nephritis with focal areas of necrosis. Examination of lymph nodes revealed marked hyperplasia together with polymorphic cellular infiltration

Intercorrelations of the anthropometric measurements of the newborn infants in upper Egypt

A study of 151 hospital births in Minia district in Upper Egypt revealed significant intercorrelations of the anthropometric measurements of the newborn infants. The best correlation of birth weight is with raidarm circumference and with head circumference. Birth weight of < 2.5 kg is the criterion of low birth weight and mid-arm circumference of < 8.9 cm or head circumference of < 31.4 cm has good predictive value in identifying this risk group. This trial is performed in order to select a simple measure which could be substituted for weight when problems prevent weighing of every newborn infant. Skinfold thickness of the studied newborns can be used to measure subcutaneous fat but not maturity of the baby. Skinfold thickness has low correlations with body lengths and high correlations with birth weight and arm circumference. However, because of non-linear relation to body weight, it is not recommended to use skinfold thickness in regression equations to predict birth weight

Anthropometric characteristics of the upper Egyptian newborns in comparison with other countries

A sample of 151 full term infants [89 males and 62 females] was taken from Minia district of Upper Egypt. The infants were subjected to different anthropometric measurements within 24 hours after birth. It appeared that there were no significant differences in the various body measurements between male and female newborns except for skin-fold thickness where female values were significantly greater than male values. Considering that the fat tissue is laid down only during the last weeks of gestation, this represents a marked sex difference. In comparison with some anthropometric measurements of newborn infants elsewhere, the present sample did not show any significantly retarded growth measurement. This indicates that the indicators of growth welfare of the Upper Egyptian newborns are promising and inore attention should be made to the postnatal period