Histological study on the effect of nicotine administration on the bone of adult male albino rat and the possible protective role of vitamin E

Cigarette smoking is one of the major problems affecting the health of humans. Many studies have been conducted on different organs of the body, but only a few have been conducted on the effect of cigarette smoking on bone. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant supplement that might alleviate these hazardous effects on bone. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of nicotine on bone and whether the addition of vitamin E could protect the bone against nicotine-induced effects. Forty-five animals were used and divided into three groups comprising 15 animals each. Group I served as the control group. Animals in group II received nicotine. Animals in group III received nicotine in addition to vitamin E. At the end of the experiment the animals were sacrificed and the femur bone specimens were dissected and processed. The specimens were subjected to histological study: H and E and scanning electron microscopy. Evaluation of bone mineral density using energy dispersive X-ray was also carried out. Statistical analysis was carried out for all data recorded. Animals of group II showed thinning out of compact bone and trabeculae of cancellous bone of the proximal end of the femur. An increase in adipocytes in adjacent bone marrow was also detected. Cracking and microfracture of bone were apparent, as well as irregular endosteal pores. There was decrease in calcium content in the bone. Group III showed improvement in the morphology of bone and mineral content. Statistical analysis confirmed these results. We concluded that nicotine has hazardous effects on bone, and vitamin E has a protective role against nicotine

Glypican-3 as a tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers in the world.The burden of HCC has been increasing in Egypt with a doubling in the incidence in the past ten years. The prognosis of most patients is unsatisfactory due to rapid clinical deterioration after the initial diagnosis. Therefore, it is very important to detect HCC and the recurrence at its earlier period. Glypican-3(GPC3) is a cell-surface protein, which is a member of the heparan sulfate proteoglycan family. GPC3 was indentified in the serum of patients with HCC and can be used as a serological test for the diagnosis of HCC. The aim was to assess the value of serum GPC3 in Egyptian patients with HCC. This study was included 30 patients with HCC, 30 patients with liver cirrhosis and 20 healthy controls. For all groups we studied clinical data, image findings, serum alphafetoprotein(AFP) levels detected by enzyme immunoassay(EIA) kit and GPC3 gene expression was detected by real time polymerase chain reaction(PCR).Tumour characteristics were assessed including size, number and site. Tumour staging was done using Okuda &Tokyo staging systems.The data showed that HCC patients had a significantly higher mean GPC3 values (p=0.000)than both cirrhotics and healthy control groups. GPC3 has a positive significant correlation with tumour size (p=0.015)and Tokyo staging system(p=0.047).GPC3 could be a useful diagnostic & prognostic marker for detection of HCC.

Appendicitis; appendectomy and the value of endemic parasitic infestation

Schistosomiasis, enterobiasis and amebiasis are endemic parasitic infestations in Egypt, that were condemned by many authors as having a role in the pathogenesis of appendicitis. In the present work 127 appendices removed from patients suffering from symptoms and signs of appendicitis in the emergency surgical unit in Theodore Bilharz Research Institute [TBRI], Egypt, during the period of time from 6/96 to 6/99. Cross and microscopic histopathological examinations were done for all cases in the pathology department [TBRI]. Females were found to be more affected than males with most of patients were at the second decade of life. Parasites were detected in 14.8% of removed appendices. Enterobios vermicularis worms were detected in 10% of cases having no or mild histopathological changes, in 5.3% of cases with histopathological picture of acute appendicitis and in 14.3% of cases with histopathological features of chronic appendicitis. Schistosomiasis infestation was detected in 6.3% of removed appendectomy specimens and in 28.6% cases with histopathological features of chronic appendicitis. Ainebiasis was not detected in any of the examined appendices. We concluded that infestations of the appendix by schistosomiasis and enterobiasis are important factors in the pathogenesis of appendicitis in Egypt, thus early and proper diagnosis as well as treatment of these infestations is indicated to avoid the development of appendicitis with subsequent appendectomy

Preliminary study on formulation and application of aflatoxins-antidote

Chemical assay showed that the concentration of aflatoxin B1 was proved to be 250 ug/kg finisher feed. To testify the validity of this appropriate aflatoxins-antidote, 200 Lohman broilers aged 4 weeks and weighing approximately 1065 g each, were obtained and randomly distributed into equal four groups. Two groups only received single oral capsule daily for 30 successive days, meanwhile, they were fed on aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration containing 250 and 125 ug/kg feed for the high and low level treated groups, respectively. The other two groups were identified as positive and negative control groups. The negative group fed on a ration of 250 ug aflatoxin B1/kg, both control groups received no aflatoxins-antidote. Data showed that the performance of both treated groups showed an obvious resistance to aflatoxin B1-contamination. The average total body gain of both high and low level treated groups were 93.8 and 104.8% relative to the negative control group, while the corresponding figure obtained from the positive control group reduced up to 25.9% after 30 successive days of feeding on aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration. Similarly, the percentages of average feed conversion of both high and low level treated groups showed 104.3% and 94% relative to negative control, while the corresponding figure obtained from positive control was 353%. In other words, consuming 2244 and 2262 g aflatoxin B1 contaminated ration resulted in body weight gain of 800 and 894 g in the two treated groups, which received daily capsules of aflatoxins- antidote, while the average body weight gained from positive control consuming 2106 g was 221 g after the same period

Estimation of manganese in blood between exposed workers to different concentrations at industrial units

Manganese has a toxic effects on the workers exposure at a production units. In Egypt the military industry started since about 30 years and growing rapidly as many hundred workers are engaged in such industry and become economic in Egypt comparing to other countries. It has been necessary to carry out the present study to throw light on chronic manganese poisoning

Metabolism of aflatoxins contaminated rations in sheep [intake, excretion and cumulation]

Six Rahmani female sheep aged two years and weighted 52 kg each, were employed in this study. The animals were arranged in two groups at r and om, then exposed to three different stages. The 1st stage is pre-treatment which extended for 30 days; then in the 2nd stage [experiment stage], the animals ingested contaminated corn contained two levels of aflatoxins for 120 successive days. The two levels of aflatoxins contamination were 380 ug B1 + 120 ug B2 + 1020 ug G1 + 310 ug G2 and 190 ug B1 + 60 ug B2 + 510 ug G1 + 155 ug G2 for the first and second group, respectively. While, in the 3rd stage [post- treatment], the animals received free rations for 45 days. Qualitative assay revealed that the aflatoxins excreted in urine were aflatoxin M1 only, in spite of ingestion other types of aflatoxin [B1, B2, G1 and G2]. No aflatoxin had been detected in feces of treated animals, while the four forms were obtained. Quantitative assay showed that concentration of excreted aflatoxin M1 in urine ranged between 19.7 - 22.9% of aflatoxin B1 ingested. Also, data showed that ratio of aflatoxins excreted in feces were depending upon both the form of the toxin and the level of contamination. This ratio ranged between 4.5 - 5.5% and 45 - 65% of ingested aflatoxins G1 and B2, respectively