Evaluation of the synergistic effect of danazol and radiation exposure on some biochemical functions in female albino rats

Radiation generates a variety of free radicals during the exposure of biological tissues through radiolysis of water. These free radicals are highly reactive and cause oxidative damage to biological molecules. The present study was carried out to investigate the synergestic effect of danazol and radiation exposure on certain functional disorders in female rats. Mature female rats weighing about 120-150 g were divided into four groups. Group I: control animals, group 2: animals orally administrated with danazol at a daily dose of 1.8 mg/100 g b.wt/day for four weeks, group 3: animals exposed to whole body gamma irradiation [5 Gy], group 4: animals orally administrated with danazol two weeks before and two weeks after irradiation. Blood and liver samples were obtained two week post irradiation. Erythrocyte counts, haemoglobin concentration [Hb], hamatocrite percentage [Ht] and leucoyte counts [WBcs] were determined in blood. Total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG], high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-c], low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-c], glucose as well as gamma glutamyle transferase [gamma-GT], transaminase aspartat [AST], alanine [ALT] and estradiol serum hormone level were assessed. Peroxidative hepatic damage was investigated by assessing thiobarbituric acid reactive substance [TBARS] and total protein content in liver tissues. The data obtained revealed that exposure of rats to gamma radiation and/or danazol treatment or dual treatment caused a significant increase in ALT, AST, glucose, gamma-GT, TC, TG, LDL-c and liver TABRS. While a significant decrease were recorded in RBc's Hb, Wbc's and HT. On the other hand, serum HDL, estradiol and liver total protein in group treated with danazol declined compared to control group. The results are of great importance from the stand point of radiation protection and drug safety

Morphological, biochemical and ultrastructural changes in the pregnant rat placenta and the liver of their fetuses treated with folic acid and / or gamma radiation

The efficacy of antioxidant supplementation and oxidative stress of gamma irradiation for and during pregnancy is poorly established. The present study aimed to detect the toxic effects of high dose of folic acid and / or gamma radiation on the placenta of pregnant rat and the liver of their fetuses. Pregnant albino rats were divided into four groups. The first group served as a control, the second group received oral intake of folic acid [5 mg/kg] from the 5th to 20th day of gestation, the third group was irradiated with gamma radiation [3Gy, as fractionated doses [1Gy/ 3 times] on each 5th, 10th and 15th days of gestation, the fourth group was imanaged with combined treatment. The pregnant rats were sacrified after 20 days of pregnancy and samples were taken from the blood, placenta and the fetal liver for the morphological, biochemical and electron microscopic studies. The present results showed a significant elevation in serum gamma glutamyltransferase [gammaGT], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] in placental tissue of pregnant rats associated with an increase of phosphorus content in liver of fetuses. Fetal malformations including: protrusion, anotia, short neck dactylomegaly, subcutaneous haemorrhage, paralysis in the fore limbs and congested blood vessels. The ultrastructural changes revealed sever damage in the placenta following folic acid administration and / or exposure to whole body gamma radiation. Also the fetal liver showed an appearent signs of damage under the combined treatment. The obtained changes were represented by: dilatation of the blood sinsoids, swollen mitochondria, fragmented rough endoplasmic reticulum and necrosis. It could be concluded that administration of folic acid and/or exposure to gamma radiation during pregnancy induced morphological, biochemical and ultrastructural changes in both placenta of the pregnant rats and liver of their fetuses

Cervical herpes simplex virus in Benha University Hospital clinic: cytologic, virologic and colposcopic study

Our objective was to determine the isolation rate of cervical HSV in relation to different clinical conditions and colposcopic findings, among the patients attending the outpatient clinic of Benha University Hospital and to find out the sensitivity and specificity of Papanicolaou [Pap] smear and direct fluorescence antibody stain [DFA] in relation to tissue culture. Our study comprised 250 patients. For each patient a Pap. smear was obtained and two endocervical scrapings were collected. The first one was used for staining with DFA. The second one was used for isolation of HSV-2 on monolayer of Buffalo Green Monkey kidney [BGM] cell culture. Colposcopy was done in all patients. Punch biopsy was taken from cases suggestive of squamous intraepithelial lesion. Out of the 250 patients, 36 [14.4%,] were positive for HSV by culture on BGM cells, 29 [11.6%] by DFA staining and 16 [6.4%] by Pap. smear. DFA has higher sensitivity [58.3% versus 33.3%,] and negative predictive value [93.2% versus 89.7%] than Pap smear. The virus isolation rate was not sign higher in the multigravida, multipara, patients with a history of 2 or more abortions, pregnant females, women using pills or intrauterine contraceptive device [IUCD], or patients with atypical transformation zone. The isolation rate of cervical HSV is 14.4% in the patients attending the outpatient clinic of Benha University Hospital. Pap. Smear is not useful in detection of HSV. The virus isolation rate was significantly higher in the age group [20-30 years], patients with a history of herpetic like lesions on the genitalia, patients with cervical ectopy and patients with infected typical transformation zone

Diagnosis of abdominal masses with percutaneous biopsy guided by ultrasound

Sixty consecutive patients identified as having abdominal masses were subjected to percutaneous biopsy of the masses guided by ultrasound to permit precise localization of the target organ. Biopsy failed in five cases. Adequate histological specimens were obtained in 60 patients with masses in the liver [35], renal systems [10], retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy [5], splenomegaly [2], splenic cyst [1], suprarenal [2], pancreatic [2], epigastric [1], pelviabdominal [1] and subphrenic [1] masses. No complications occurred from biopsy. Malignancy was suspected in 23 patients before biopsy; this was confirmed in sixteen cases, in seven of them confirmation of disseminated metastatic cancer obviated the need for further investigation. Two cases suspected to have benign liver lesion proved to have hepatoma. The overall sensitivity of the technique is 91.6% and the specificity is 84.09%. Percutaneous ultrasound guided biopsy is a safe and accurate method of obtaining a histological diagnosis and has a considerable effect on clinical management

Antibodies to cardiolipins in cerebrovascular stroke

Antibodies to cardiolipin were measured in 50 consecutive patients with first stroke on admission and 10 healthy, age and sex matched control group. Elevated levels of acll antibodies were preset in none of the control group, but in 18% of patients with stroke. CAT scan of the brain among the 9 patients with acl antibodies, however 4 cases had no any other risk facto ECHO doppler heart examination was normal in all 9 cases, however ECG showed associated recent myocardial infraction [MI] in one case and old MI in another case among patients with positive acl antibodies. We suggest screening patients with stroke for acl antibodies, especially if there was no obvious risk factor or if there was associated myocardial infraction or did cerebral infract in brain CAT scan

Source and significance of raised serum and synovial fluid enzymes in rheumatoid arthritis

Fifty four patients with RA were included in the study. Blood samples were obtained from all cases and synovial fluid [SF] samples were obtained from 24 patients presenting with knee effusion. Besides routine tests of rheumatoid activity ESR, CRP, the following enzymes were analyzed in serum and SF samples: alkaline phosphatase [ALP], LDH, 5'-nucleotidase [5'NT] and adenosine deaminase [ADA], quantitative determination of LDH isoenzymes and qualitative determination of ALP isoenzymes. Cytological examination of SF was also carried out. Results revealed elevated serum levels of ALP, LDH, 5'NT and ADA in 81%, 27.77%, 23.8% and 50% of cases, respectively. Significantly higher SF levels were found for LDH, 5'NT and ADA when compared with serum levels. The values were 240.5 +/- 149.6 U/l, 10.72 +/- 9.05 U/l, 52.79 +/- 27.78 U/l for SF and 182.75 +/- 97.46, 5.46 +/- 3.57 and 23.6 +/- 12.36 for serum enzymes, respectively. SF serum ratio demonstrated a value less than one for ALP, but greater than one for LDH, 5'NT and ADA, this signifies that ALP originates mainly from the liver and passes to joint fluid due to increased permeability of synovial membrane, while the other three enzymes most probably originate from the joint itself and diffuse to blood stream. Serum LDH isoenzyme pattern was predominantly of LD1 and LD2 25.1 +/- 5.44% and 33.42 +/- 8.72%, respectively, while SF LDH isoenzyme pattern was predominantly of LD4 and LD5 20.95 +/- 5.25 and 35.57 +/- 5.78, respectively. This shift of LDH isoenzyme pattern towards the slowly migrating form is probably due to increased demands of the highly cellular SF in RA for anaerobic glycolysis to supply its energy requirements. Serum LDH was significantly elevated in active RA than inactive cases, values being 311.85 +/- 97.86 and 208.12 +/- 104.53, respectively. A positive correlation was found between SF LDH and PMN cell count indicating the value of LDH as a marker of disease activity better than ESR