Effect of ofloxacin on the cartilage of the knee joint of juvenile rats

Ofloxacin is one of fluoroquinolones derivatives, which has a broad spectrum bacterial activity. It is contraindicated in children and adolescents because of its potential chondotoxicity in juveniles. However, fluoroquinolones continue to be prescribed as a drug of choice for treatment of some life threatening diseases in pediatrics. This study was conducted to examine the effect of ofloxacin on cartilage of juvenile rats by light and electron microscopes. Twenty newborn albino rats were treated with an oral dose of 900 mg/kg/day of ofloxacin for 28 days. The animals were sacrificed after the completion of the administration and the knee joints were prepared for light and electron microscopic examination. Morphometric study and statistical analysis of the results were also performed. The lesions were demonstrated in the articular cartilage of all the animals. Fissures, chondrtocyte clusters and wide area of matrix devoid of cells in the intermediate zone were observed. The surface of the premature articular cartilage of the femur was irregular. The matrix of the articular cartilage showed less staining with toluidine blue and masson trichrome. Electron microscopic results showed separation between chondrocyte cell membrane and the matrix. The chondrocytes were necrotic with pyknotic nuclei and vacuolation of their cytoplasm. There were electron dense aggregates on the cell membrane and inside the cells. The thickness of the premature articular cartilage and epiphyseal plate cartilage were significantly decreased. The numbers of chondrocytes of the premature articular cartilage and epiphyseal plate cartilage were significantly decreased. The numbers of chondrocytes of the premature articular cartilage and epiphyseal plate cartilage were significantly decreased

Facial measurements of Assiut children aged 6-11 years

The aim of the present study is to investigate changes in the facial measurements of Assiut children at the selected ages. A total of 300 healthy child aged 6-11 years old participated in the study; they were taken from primary schools in Assiut City. Children were divided into 6 age groups; each age group included 50 children [25 boys and 25 girls]. Each child was subjected to the following measurements: facial height, upper facial height, lower facial height, upper facial width, lower facial width, maxillary facial depth and mandibular facial depth.. Results reveal that all facial parameters of boys are significantly higher than that of girls at all ages, but girls tend to grow faster than boys. It is also evident that most of facial parameters are correlated with each other. The pattern of facial growth of children in Assiut City indicates leptoprosopic [narrow] face type

Anthropometric study of head measurements of children in Assiut city

The aim of the present study is to detect any existence of a relationship between the different cranial parameters during growth of children at the selected ages. A total of 300 healthy children aged 6-11 years participated in the study; they were taken from primary schools in Assiut City. Children were divided into 6 age groups; each age group included 50 children [25 boys and 25 girls]. Each child was subjected to the following measurements: head circumference, head length, head width, forehead width, head height and auricular height. Results revealed that all cranial parameters of boys were obviously higher than that of girls at all ages, but girls tend to grow faster than boys. It is also evident that head circumference correlated with head length at ages of 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 years. It is also correlated with head width at 6, 7, 9 and 10 years of age. In addition to that, the head length and head width were correlated with each other at 7, 9 and 10 years of age. This indicates that the increase in head circumference could be attributed mainly to the increase in both head length and head width. The pattern of head growth of children in Assiut City indicates mesocephalic [intermediate] head type

Aging changes of the olfactory bulb of albino rats

The olfactory bulb plays a central role in relaying olfactory information from the olfactory epithelium to the olfactory cortex. Olfactory loss is a common age-related complaint that may be caused by changes in the anatomy of the structures required which are required for olfaction [for example, change in the olfactory bulb]. The aim of the work is to study the structural changes which occur during aging in the olfactory bulb of albino rats. Twenty albino rats were used. The animals were subdivided into two age groups: adult and aged [24 months]. The animals were anaesthetized, perfused with appropriate fixative solution, then the animals were killed and brains were extracted and specimens of olfactory bulbs were dissected. For each group, some specimens were fixed in Bouin's fluid and after routine histological technique were embedded in paraffin. Other specimens were sectioned and stained with Einarson's Gallocyanine solution to study the cellular histology and morphology of the olfactory bulb. Other specimens were fixed in Golgi-Cox solution and embedded in cellodin and dendritic organization of the neurons of the olfactory bulb was examined. Also other specimens were fixed in 5% buffered glutaldehyde and electron microscopic technique was made, semi thin and ultra thin sections were obtained and examined to show the ultra structure of the neurons of olfactory bulb. The results revealed that aging induced reduction in the thickness of the layers of olfactory bulb, decreased neuronal density of the mitral cells with decreased dendritic arborization of the neurons. Also elecrtomicroscopic feature of the aged olfactory bulb revealed evidence of nuclear damage, perinuclear vacuolation, dilated Golgi and cisternia of rough endoplasmic reticulum with destructed mitochondria

Stereologucal and histological studies on the effect of nicotine administration and its withdrawal on the interstitial tissue of the albino rat testis

The present study was carried out to gain more insight on the effect of nicotine on interstitial tissue and the process of spermatogenesis. Also, the possible reversibility of nicotine effects was studied. Different stereological techniques were employed in a trail of precise assessment of its effects on male fertility. The testes were subjected to light and electron microscopic examinations. The testes of nicotine treated animals reveled remarkable degenerative changes in the interstitial cells of Leydig. The interstitial tissue appeared expanded around the atretic seminiferous tubules, with appearance of interstitial odema, increased number of fibroblastic cells and thickening in the wall of the blood vessels. The ultrastructure of interstitial cell of Leydig declared the drastic effect of nicotine upon this cell. The nucleus appeared dense and irregular in shape. Its chromatin texture was disrupted with distorted outline, which might be interrupted at certain areas. The cytoplasm showed accumulation of lipid droplets, lysosomes, dilated smooth endoplasmic reticulum and damaged mitochondria. The nicotine treated animals revealed an increased volume proportion of the interstitial tissue. Leydig cells nuclei exhibited a significant increase in their nuclear diameter and also in nuclear surface area/total cell surface area. On rehabilitation, the picture appeared to be improved in all histological and stereological parameters to become more or less similar to the control. The ultrastructural study of Leydig cells demonstrated a marked degree of recovery in their nuclear and cytoplasmic features. Also, all the stereological pameters revealed a great improvement

Anthropometric study on the human permanent mandibular canine tooth

A morphometric study on the human mandibular canine was carried out for establishing the sexual dimorphism in the various parameters of the mandibular canine tooth and for determination of the sex identify utilizing these mandibular canine parameters. The study included 320 adult individuals from Assiut medical students belonging to both sexes, their ages ranged between 19 and 23 years and had fully erupted healthy and non worn mandibular permanent canines. The mesiodistal mandibular crown width as well as the mandibular canine arch width was measured and the data collected was computerized and analyzed statistically. The results showed that the mean value of the mandibular mesiodistal crown width was 6.938 mm [ +/- 0.608] in male subjects and 5.952 mm [0.640] in females with sexual difference 0.986 mm and the percentage dimorphism was 6.56. The sexual dimorphism in the mandibular canine crown width was found to be significant. Also, the mandibular canine arch width exhibited such sexual dimorphism with a mean value 29.707 mm [ +/- 1.973] in males and 29.471 mm [ +/- 1.837] in females. The sex difference in the mandibular canine arch width was found to be significant. Higher correlations were found in both sexes between mandibular canine separation width and mandibular canine crown width. The mean value of the calculated mandibular canine index [MCI] was found to be 0.233% [ +/- 0.0179] in males and 0.2021 [ +/- 0.0117] in females and the sexual difference in the MCI was found to be significant. The standard MCI was calculated and was found to be 0.2148. Sex identity was determined using this standard MCI with an accuracy 86.88% in females

study on the correlation between the stride length and body height

This study was carried out in an attempt to establish the correlation between the stride length and body height and to find out a simple technique for estimation of the body stature from the stride length of an individual in a normal walk. Such procedure could help physically anthropologists to enable estimation of the suspected body height of unknown individual through measuring the stride length from the foot prints that were found almost at every crime scene. The study included 144 adult male and 48 female individuals from Assiut medical students, their ages ranged between 19 and 21 years. Stature and stride length with and without shoes of each individual were measured and data were statistically analyzed. The results showed that there was no significant differences between right and left stride length. The results revealed also the presence of significant difference between foot stride length and shoe stride length. The study proved also a positive linear correlation between stature and stride length. The multiplication factors, conventional and revised were also derived to calculate the estimated stature from the measured stride length

Study of skinfold thickness for Assiut adolescents

The present study was producted to assess the nutritional status of Assiut school children as indicated by triceps, biceps and subscapular skinfold measurements. This is based on the assumption that increased subcutaneous fat, resulting from either high caloric intake or low energy expenditure, reflects a greater caloric reserve. About 361 of clinically free Assiut school children aged from 13 to 17 years of both sexes were subjected for measuring the triceps, biceps and subscapular skinfold thickness. The present results indicate that there is a sexual difference in skinfolds that females have a much greater skinfolds than males. Also by the age of 14-15 year interval there is an obvious growth spurt in skinfold for both sexes. The present results reveal also, that there racial difference in skinfolds when compared the present values with international ones. The sexual differences in skinfolds are most probably due to hormonal control as well as nutritional habits. The latter also is responsible for the racial differences in skinfold thickness

Mechanoreceptors of the cruciate ligament of rabbit

This study was undertaken to identify the mechanoreceptors in the cruciate ligament of rabbit. Ten fresh ligaments were taken from dissected knee joints of adult rabbits and stained immediately according to a modification of gold chloride technique. Three types of nerve endings [mechanoreceptors] were observed in the surrounding connective tissue and the septa between collagen fibers of the ligaments. The receptors of type I were ovoid or spherical, type II were elongated and tortuous and type III were fusiform in shape. Each type receptors had a capsule of variable lamellae, pierced by a myelinated nerve axon. These mechanoreceptors seemed to provide the central nervous system with information pertaining the position of joint and the tension applied to the ligament during animal locomotion and posture