Value of enzymatic examination of blood stains in determination of the period of gestation

The objective of this work is to establish the diagnostic efficiency of the determination of the ratio between heat-stable [H-S] and total [T] alkaline phosphatase activities in dry blood stains on an absorbent surface [Cotton Cloth] in cases of pregnancy. Blood samples were obtained from healthy adult males and nonpregnant females [Control group, 10 cases, 5 males and 5 females], pregnant females at different stages of pregnancy [30 samples, 10 in each trimester] and patients with elevated values of alkaline phosphatase [obstructive jaundice, 9 samples]. The blood stains were left at room temperature for different periods up to 6 months. The values of [H-S] and [T] alkaline phosphatase were measured in the serum of the control group and the blood stains of all groups and then we determined the ratio between them [H-S/T]. We found that the values of [H-S] and [T] alkaline phosphatase in the serum were higher than those in the blood stains of the control group but the ratio was the same. There was a statistically significant progressive rise in the ratios between [H-S] and [T] alkaline phosphatase in blood stains of pregnant females at different trimesters and a significant decreased ratio in the blood-stains of the group of obstructive jaundice. The same results were obtained with aged blood stains up to 6 months

Elevated serum cadmium among workers of Assiut Cement Factory: source, assessment and toxicological studty

The present study was conducted on 72 male workers of Assiut Cement Factory complaining of some renal troubles together with 30 healthy controls. Significant increase in the level of serum and urinary cadmium was observed among those workers. Other renal variables including B2-microglabulin [B2-MG] and N-acetyl Beta-glucosaminidase [NAG] were also significantly increased denoting renal impairment. An interesting finding in this study was the elevation of serum calcium and serum alkaline phosphatase among the workers compared with controls. The levels of these bioindices were correlated with the level of serum and urinary cadmium. Dose response relations were observed between B2-MG and NAG and urinary cadmium. The source of cadmium was searched for including the waste products of the factory and its surroundings and the drinking water. Water of the well supplying the factory proved to be the main source of pollution among the workers

Ultrasound measurement of fetal foot length, fetal kidney length and distal femoral epiphyseal diameter as predictors of gestational age

Obstetric ultrasound examinations were carried out on 458 pregnant women between 20 and 40 weeks of gestation. Examinations involved measurement of fetal foot length [FFL], fetal kidney length [FKL] and distal femoral epiphyseal diameter [DFE], in addition to determination of fetal sex. The study provided standard growth tables for each of the three parameters during the second half of pregnancy. Comparison between male and female fetuses has shown constantly longer FFL in male which was occasionally significant, similar FKL in both sexes and slightly bigger DFE in female fetuses than in males. In conclusion, the three parameters could be of additional helpful value in estimating gestational age and fetal maturity. Sex differences may have some influence which should be considered during plotting the growth curves, but this would require further studies

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

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

Effect of anticonvulsant drug [phenytoin] on the postnatal development of the cerebellar cortex of boscat rabbit [lepus cuniculus]

Boscat rabbit [Lepus Cuniculus] was used as a model to study the effect of anticonvulsant drug on the postnatal development of the cerebellar cortex. Pohenytoin was used orally in a dose of [50 mg/Kg body weight] to the pregnant female rabbits starting from the day 15 of conception [the period of gestation is 30 days]. It is known that phenytoin passes through the placental barrier and also is excreted in milk. The controlled mothers received normal saline at the same time in which the experimental group received the drug. The pups were taken at the ages of newly born, one week, two weeks, one month from both groups. The cerebellum was extracted, fixed in neutral formaline and processed for histological preparation. This research showed that different cellular elements of the cerebellar cortex were affected in the form of degeneration, delayed migration of the external granular cells and delayed maturation. These changes could be reflected on the activity of the animal in the form of impaired skills and growth as a whole

Cyclophosphamide induced diabetes and histological changes of the endocrine pancreas in mice

This experimental study was done on thirty mice of both sexes. Twenty mice were given the therapeutic dose of cyclophosphamide which was 0.08 mg/kg body weight by intraperitoneal injection weekly for six weeks. The other ten mice were used as controls and were injected with saline. It was found that administration of cyclophosphamide induced hyperglycemia and pancreatic islet changes in eight mice, while the other mice seemed to be unaffected. Microscopical findings in the affected animals revealed hydropic degeneration of the cells islet of Langerhans. Diminution in the amount and marked atrophy of beta cells were also observed. Moreover, there was lymphocytic infiltration in the parenchymatous tissue of the pancreas

Diagnosis of aggression and depression by dermatoglyphics and blood groups

Dermatoglyphic patterns were read by direct vision and recorded for 48 aggressive and depressed students in both sexes and compared with 60 controls. Also, blood groups determination was carried out to all of the students. The results showed significant differences which could be summarized as followed: Increased frequency of loops in the finger tips of aggressive, increased frequency of intermediate displacement of axial tri-radius [t'] in both aggressive and depressed persons, increased frequency of distal displacement of axial tri-radius [t"] in male aggressive and in depressed males and females, the hypothenar pattern of aggressive was higher in whorls and loops; while in depressed persons was higher in arches, Sydney line was frequently observed in female aggressive and in depressed persons in both sexes and there was higher frequency of blood group A among aggressive; while blood group O was higher in frequency in depressed persons

Histopathological changes in the ovaries and uteri of female mice after chronic adminstration of morphine and butorphanol tartrate [stadol]

This work was done to study the drastic effects of narcotics on female genital system. Morphine and stadol, the two widely used narcotics in medical fields, were used in this study. They were injected intraperitoneally twice daily for ten days to adult female non- pregnant mice. It was observed that both drugs caused histological changes in the ovaries of treated animals in the form of decrease in the number of primary follicles with increase in the number of atretic follicles and suppression of maturation to Graffian follicles. In addition, both morphine and stadol administration caused histological changes in the uteri of treated mice. These changes included thinning of uterine wall, the endometrial glands are scarce, the endometrial stroma is loose and the myometrium showed marked atrophied thin muscles. The histopathological changes in the ovaries and uteri were more marked in morphine treated animals than in stadol treated group

Effect of induced hyperthermia on microscopic structure of some parenchymatous organs in albino rats

Forty adult albino rats of both sexes were used in this study [10 females and 30 males]. Thirty of them [5 females 7 25 males] were exposed to hyperthermia six hours daily for 10 days while the remaining animals were kept as control. Six rats per time were sacrificed after 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days from heat exposure. Microscopical examination of heart, lungs, liver kidneys, adrenals, pancreas, uteri, ovaries and testes were carried out in all animals. Pathological lesions were found in the lung, kidney, adrenal, liver, and testis in the form of varying degrees of congestion, haemorrhage, oedema, degeneration and arrested spermatogenesis. These pathological lesions became more marked with increasing the period of heat exposure

Effects of chronic mercuric chloride intoxication on the structure of rat's cerebellum

Adult albino rats were subcutaneously injected with mercuric chloride at a dose of 0.05 mg/100 gm of body weight, three times weekly for one month control animals received physiological saline injections. Sections of the cerebellar vermis were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Large number of dark cells were observed in all layers of the cerebellum of the mercury treated group. They also showed vacuolations and aggregation of small neurons in the white matter. Quantitative measurements revealed increased volume proportion of the granular layer within the cerebellum [VVG] in the inorganic mercury treated group. It was concluded that chronic inorganic mercury intoxication produce hazardous effects on the rat's cerebellum similar in many respects to those of organic mercury