Study of some renal function tests in epileptic children on antiepileptic drug monotherapy

In the present study we tried to verify the renal function status in epileptic children at diagnosis and 4 months following AED monotherapy. This study was carried out on 45 children, 27 males and 18 females aged 5-16 years, suffering from different types of freshly diagnosed epilepsy. They were classified into 3 groups: Group 1: Consisted of 15 patients treated by carbamazepine [CBZ] [Tegretol] monotherapy. Group II: Consisted of 15 patients treated by sodium valproate [VPA] [Depakine] monotherapy. Group Ill: Consisted of 15 patients treated by phenytoin [PHE] [Epanutin] monotherapy. In addition 20 healthy children of matched age and sex, products of nonepileptic families, with normal hepatic and renal function tests, served as a control group. All children included in this study were subjected to the following: determination of fasting blood urea, estimation of fasting serum creatinine, estimation of creatinine clearance, determination of urinary albumin/24 hours, urinary N-acetyl-8-D-glucosaminidase [NAG]/24h and urinary alpha-1 microglobulin [alpha-1MG]/24h. Our results revealed the following: Normal renal glomerular and tubular function tests in patients before therapy. Normal renal glomerular function tests [blood urea nitrogen serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, routine urine analysis and 24 hr urinary albumin] in all patients after AED therapy. Significant increase in urinary NAG was observed in all patient groups after therapy and this increase was highest in patients receiving valproate monotherapy. Significant increases in urinary alpha-1MG in patients receiving carbamazepine or phenytoin with no change following VPA therapy were recorded

postnatal development of the visual cortex of albino rat and inorganic lead

Albino rats were used in the present study. Two groups of pregnant female animals, one served as control and other as experimental. The experimental mothers were fed with chow, tap water and libitum and 1% lead carbonate, from the first day of parturition. The pups from both groups were taken at the postnatal ages of 3, 9, 12, 15 and 21 days from both groups. Brains were extracted and fixed in 10% neutral formalin. The primary visual cortex was located according to Krieg [1946] map. It was processed for histological technique. Sagittal sections were cut at 10 u thick and stained with Einarsons gallocyanine. This study showed that the development of rat visual cortex is competed about day 21, when the neurons achieve their mature appearance as indicated by the increased size of cell body and nuclei; differentiation of the cells; the nuclei became vesicular with prominent nucleoli and increase Nissl's granules and there was also an increase in thickness of the cortex and a decreased packing of the neurons. The offsprings of rats fed on the inorganic lead starting from day 89, had an extensive changes compared to age matched control. Stratification of the visual cortex comes less distinct all over the ages used. Maturation of layer V and layer II/III is delayed. There is also cavitation, and neurocytic chromatolysis which is pronounced at day 12 and is clearly distinct at day 15. Pericapillary and capillary dilatation are noticed

Effects of infra red laser on the synovium of mice an experimental study

The knee joint of 15 mice were exposed to daily doses of infra-red laser. Five animals were killed after 10, 20 and 30 days of application with an equal number of age matched controls. Histological examination was carried out on paraffin sections stained with Hx, and E. The number of villar profiles of the synovial membrane in the joint were calculated. The volume and surface densities of the synovial membrane in the joint were calculated using stereological techniques. The vascularization of the synovial membrane was also examined. It was found that laser had an enhancing effect on the number of villar profiles, volume and surface densities of the synovial membrane all over the ages. Also, it had an enhancing effect on the vascularization of the synovial membrane all over the ages. The growth pattern of the synovial membrane was preserved. It was concluded that laser application, in therapeutic doses, did not disturb the structural architecture of the synovial membrane and has an enhancing effect on the growth pattern of the synovial membrane

study of dendritic bundling and its postnatal development in the primary visual cortex [area 17]

This study was done on 49 ablino rats which were divided into 7 groups at day 0, 3,6, 12,15,21postnatally and adult stage. Tissues were prepared using the two stage procedure for fixation. Their brains were removed and the primary visual cortex was located according to Krieg's maps [1949]. Embedding was done in plastic. Sectioning with ultramicrotome at coronal level to know the complete thickness of the cortex, layering of the cortex was done according to Miller [1981] the block was remounted and cut tangentially from the pail surface down to white matter. Some measurements were done which include: thickness of apical dendrites, number of dendrites forming the dendritic cluster, distance between center to center clusters and cell size to neuropil ratio. This work showed that the visual cortex, in coronal section is formed of the usual six layers of neurons and clarified that the apical dendrites of layer V, neurons are not constructed in a haphazard manner. In tangential sections at the level of layer IV. The number of dendrites making up the clusters is variable and so the spacing between center to center clusters according the age used where at day 0 and day 3 stage, no bundling of dendrites could be noticed, only abundant fine dendrites were randomly disposed in between neurons. At day 6 to day 12 stage, a loose bundle-like order observed. At day 15 and 21 stage, a loose bundle-like order observed. At day 15 and 21 stage, dendritic bundling became clearly distinct. The mean distance between dendritic clusters, at days 12, 15, 21 and adult were as follows: 28, 35, 47 and 50 the 50 micro successively. This could be attributed to maturation of the neuropil. Why does bundling occur

Prenatal Development of the hippocampus of Boscat rabbit

The hippocampal primordium was first observed at day 22 of the prenatal age. Ammon's horn showed four layers, namely the matrix, intermediate, cortical and marginal layers. The dentate gyrus was only formed of a mass of cells caping the cortical plate. The development of Ammon's horn appeared to exceed that of the dentate gyrus at all ages. The pyramidal neurons of Ammon's horn started to show processes formation as early as day 24. At day 30 most of these cells showed such feature. The dentate granule cells failed to show this processes formation at the early stage and at day 30 only few cells were mature enough to show this feature. The dorsal lip of dentate gyrus showed more advanced development than the ventral lip in all stages. The cells of the vengral lip succeeded to form a definite granular layer at day 30 while such layer was clearly observed at the dorsal lip at day 26. the cells of the dorsal lip showed more advanced maturation than those of the ventral lip at any examined age. It wass concluded that the development of the hippocampus of Boscat rabbits follows the same general rules reported in different other species