Expression of FAS protein [CD95] and fas ligand in liver tissue of patients with HCV-induced chronic liver disease and its correlation with the disease progression

This study evaluated hepatic expression of both Fas and Fas ligand [FasL] in patients with hepatitis c virus [HCV]-induced chronic liver disease and its correlation with the histopathological activity and laboratory parameters as an early predictor of advancement of the disease. The selected patients were [39] males and [21] females, their ages ranged from [20-67years] with a mean of 43.5 +/- 4.5 years, as well as [10] subjects [normal individuals] serving as a control group. They were [7] males and [3] females, their age ranged from [26-53 years] with a mean of 39.5 +/- 7.3 years. Patients were grouped as [1] Chronic hepatitis [CH] group including [30] patients with chronic viral hepatitis C. [2] Liver cirrhosis [LC] group including [30] patients with post hepatitis C cirrhosis. Liver biopsy was done for all subjects using an automated 18-gauge true cut needle. Sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin for histopathological diagnosis and with Maisson and Trichrome for assessment of fibrosis. Unstained paraffin sections from each case were subjected for immuno-histochemical procedures using indirect immunoflourescence technique for detection of apoptotic hepatic and lymphocytic cells using monoclonal antibodies. Semiquantitative analysis of the pattern and distribution of the Fas antigen and Fas Ligand as indicators for hepatic apoptosis was studied and assessed

Scanning electron microscopy and histopathological study of the effect of estriol on the endometrium of women using long acting injectable contraceptives with irregular uterine bleeding

Hormonal contraceptives are female sex steroids, synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone [pro gestin], or pro gestin only. They can be administered in the form of oral contraceptives "OC", implants, and injectables. A large part of the modem medical research has focused on studying the effect of different forms of the hormonal contraception on the human endometrium whether by the conventional dilatation and curettage or by outpatient pipelle to study the endometrial histopathological changes either by light microscope or scanning electron microscope; and to correlate the findings detected by both modalities, in order to develop an effective method for diagnosis and treatment of different forms of eridometrial pathology. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of estrogen treatment on the endometrium of women using pogestational injectable contraceptive [Depo-provera] [R]and complaining of irregular uterine bleeding using: Clinical assessment, transvaginal ultrasound and studying endometrial samples by: The ordinary light microscope and the scanning electron microscope. In this study 30 women using depo provera as a contraceptive method and all of them complaining of irregular uterine bleeding were randomly categorized into 2 groups; group A included 15 cases who received estriolfor 3 months, and group B included 15 cases who received Diosmine for the same period. Both groups were subjected to endometrial sampling by an out patient pippelle before and after treatments then the endometrial tissues were examined by the ordinary light microscope and the scanning electron microscope, results were then tabulated and statistically analyzed using the standard statistical tests. Microscopic examination of-the endometrial biopsies from all women receiving depot inedroxyprogesterone acetate revealed variable degrees of endo, netrial atrophy. The glandular architecture was cystic in cases and budded in the others. The glands were lined by mitotically inactive bland-looking cuboidal or flattened cells with rare pseudostratfication. The glands were embedded' in a mitotically inactive spindled stroma that exhibited varying degrees of collagenation. The ratio of glands to stroma was near one with predominant stroma. in many foci. Microscopic examination of the endometrial biopsies of the 15 patients that received Diosmine for 3 months didn't reveal any proliferative change in 12 of them and only weak prohferative changes were noted in 3 of them. All atrophic endometria examined with the SEM revealed inconsistency in cell size and shape, cellular loss and separation, infrequency of ciliated cells and absence of uterodomes. Epithelial surface was usually flattened, with cells often displaying raised cell borders; Microvillous cells were thinly populated with very low, blebbed microvilli. Afew to moderate number of glands with large openings were observed. Pitted cells were observed in 2 of the specimens that were treated with Diosmine. Number of injections and time lapse since the last injection had a role in the endometrial changes but age, gravidity and parity had no role. Depotmedroxyprogesterone acetate [DMPA] is one of the most effective hormonal iontraceptive methods used by women in reproductive age to prevent pregnancy. Discontinuation of DMPA is mainly due to menstrual irregularities including unpredictable bleeding or spotting; this bleeding is mainly due to endometrial atrophy. Estriol is considered the friendly estrogen and can he used in treatment of vaginal bleeding during DMPA use by changing the endometrium front vrophic to prolfirative so it causes building up of a new endometrium without evident side effects Endometriutn either under effect of DMPA or estriol is easy to be studied by combined scanning electron microscopy and ordinary light microscopy cfter endometrial sampling by outpatient pipelle

N-acetylcysteine attenuates cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity in male albino rats

Cyclosporine A [Cs A] is used for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. However, Cs A-induced nephrotoxicity remains an important clinical problem, and oxidative stress has been implicated as a possible responsible mechanism. We assessed the protective ability of N-acetylcysteine [NAC], an antioxidant, against Cs A-induced nephrotoxicity. Thirty adult male albino rats were used to study the effect of cyclosporine [Cs A] and the action of N-acetylcysteine [NAC] on certain renal parameters; Blood Urea Nitrogen [BUN] and creatinine. Malondialdehyde [MDA] and catalase [CAT] levels were used as biomarker for testing the antioxidant potential of the drug. Endothelin-l[ET-l] levels were estimated in plasma. Animals were randomly assigned into three groups. Group I rats as control, group 2 were treated with Cs A and group 3 with Cs A plus NAC. Cs A administration for 21 days produced elevated levels of MDA and decreased in antioxidant enzyme CAT and deteriorated the renal function as assessed by increased serum Blood Urea Nitrogen [BUN] and creatinine. Plasma ET-l was also elevated as compared to control groups. Oral administration of NAC [140 mg/kg/day] significantly attenuated renal dysfunction, reduced elevated levels of MDA, increased the level of CAT and decreased level of ET- 1. These results indicate that NAC produces a protective mechanism against Cs A-induced nephrotoxicity in rats and suggest a role of Cs A for oxidative stress and the nephroprotective role of NAC against Cs A-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

Studying the effect of L-ascorbic acid on oral hypoglycemic drug [gliclazid] in treatment of diabetic albino rats

In this work, thirty adult male albino rats were used to study the effect of L - ascorbic acid on oral hypoglycemic drug [gliclazid] in treatment of diabetic rats. Rats were divided into three equal groups, I, II, III. Rats subjected to induction of diabetes by alloxan 100 mg /kg body weight. Rats showing fasting blood glucose level above 150 mg/dl were selected for the study. Group I received gliclazid 7 mg/Kg body weight Group II received gliclazid 7 mg/kg + L .ascorbic acid [L .A .A] 40 mg/Kg body weight. Group III received gliclazid 7 mg/kg + L .A .A 60 mg/kg body weight. Blood glucose level determined at different time interval after administration of drugs. The study showed that L.A.A produced hypoglycemic effect in a dose dependent manner in diabetic rats. Also, L.A.A/gliclazid produced early onset of action and maintained for long period compared to gliclazid treatment only

Marked suppression of experimental autoimmune myocarditis by simvastatin therapy in adult male wistar rats

Experimental autoimmune myocarditis [EAM] is a well-established animal model for human autoimmune myocarditis and postmyocardilis dilated cardiomyopathv. Recently, independent of their anti-hyperlipidemic properties, statins have been categorized as new agents that ameliorate the course of several organspecific autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Thus, this study aimed to assess the possible immunoinflammatory suppressive potentiality of simvastatin therapy on EAM. Three groups of male Wistar rats were investigated in this study: Normal control group, untreated-EAM and simvastatin- treated EAM, EAM was induced by subcutaneous immunization with porcine cardiac myosin at days, 0 and 7. Simvastatin [10 mg/kg per day] was administered orally for 20 days. On day 21, the hearts were dissected out, weighed, and prepared for histological and immunohistochemical examinations. To evaluate the effects of simvastatin therapy on production of T helper type-1 [Th1], proinflammatory cytokines: tumor necrosis factor- alpha [TNF-alpha] and interferon- gamma [IFN-gamma], and the plasma cholesterol levels were measured at days 11 and 21 in all groups. Daily administration of simvastatin to rats with EAM efficiently suppressed myocarditis development, its histopathological severity, and macrophages infiltration [ED1+ Cells] and other mononuclear cells into hearts. The treated rats had significantly decreased heart weight and heart weight/body weight ratio [Hw/Bw] compared with untreated animals. The up-regulated serum levels of TNF-alpha and IFN gamma during the course of EAM were promptly down-regulated by simvastatin therapy. Plasma cholesterol levels did not differ between the groups. Our data reveal that chronic therapy with simvastatin potentially ameliorated EAM via inhibition of Th1 proinflammatory cytokine production and macrophage infiltration, and this activity is independent on cholesterol reduction. Furthermore, we anticipate that simvastatin could be a new immunotherdpeutic tool for autoimmune myocarditis and other cardiac autoimmune impairments

Effect of chromium deficiency and supplementation on some aspects of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in male albino rats

In this work, thirty adult male albino rats were used to study the effect of chromium deficiency and supplementation on carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Rats were divided into three equal groups control, chromium deficient and chromium supplemented. Rats of the first group were fed on normal diet, rats of the second group were fed on a chromium deficient diet. Rats of the third group were fed on the same chromium deficient diet but were supplemented with oral chromium picolinate [90 |-l micro gm / kg body weight] daily for forty five days. At the end of the experimental period [45 days] plasma glucose, insulin serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL and HDL were determined. The study showed that chromium deficiency led to a significant increase in plasma glucose level, and insulin with insignificant changes in serum triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL and LDL as compared to control group. The study showed also that chromium supplementation led to an insignificant increase in serum glucose and insulin with significant decrease in serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL and a significant increase in serum HDL

Cardiovascular response to endotracheal extubation with and without injection of lidocaine

The hemodynamic responses to endotracheal extubation and efficacy of I.V. lidocaine pretreatment were studied after intraocular surgery. Twenty patients were divided into two equal groups: Group 1; patients who had placebo, group 2; patients who received lidocaine 1.5 mg.kg-1 before tracheal extubation. Hemodynamic data, electrocardiographic tracings were obtained at the end of surgery during suctioning and 1, 3, 5 min after tracheal extubation. Group 1 patients displayed significant increases in HR, SAP, DAP, MAP and RPP during suctioning and within 1, 3, 5 min after tracheal extubation. Two patients showed evidence of myocardial ischemia on ECG after extubation which was self limited and of short duration. Ventricular extrasystoles were observed during extubation in 1 patient. In lidocaine treated patients [group 2], the increases in HR, SAP, DAP, MAP and RPP were completely attenuated during suctioning and within 1 min of extubation. No patient in this group revealed evidence of myocardial ischemia or cardiac dysrhythmias. The results show the beneficial effects of I.V. lidocaine in preventing coughing, laryngospasm and increases in arterial blood pressure, heart rate during and after extubation