Protective effects of gadolinum chloride on pneumotoxic effects of styrene in rat

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects of gadolinum on pneumotoxic effects of styrene in rats as an experimental model

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study a total number of 40 adult male Sprague Dawley rats that weighed 200 +/- 13 g were randomly divided into five groups: i. styrene [St, N=10], ii. styrene+gadolinium chloride [GdCl[3], N=10], iii. control [N=10], iv. GdCl[3][N=5] and v. normal saline [Nor.Sal, as a solvent of GdCl[3], N=5]. Normal saline, as a sham control group, was otherwise treated identically. Rats from the experimental groups were exposed to St in an exposure chamber for 6 days/week, 4 hours/day for up to 3 weeks. At the end of the experiment, rats from all groups were killed by deep anesthesia. Their lungs were removed, then fixed in formalin and weighed. Tissue samples were processed routinely and sections stained by the hematoxylin and eosin [H andE] and periodic acid Schiff [PAS] methods. We measured the thicknesses of the respiratory epithelia and interalveolar septa. Obtained data were analyzed by ANOVA, the Tukey test and the paired t test

Results: Shedding of apical cytoplasm in the bronchiole was a prominent feature of the St group. PAS staining revealed histochemical changes in goblet cells in the epithelium of the St group. While there were no significant changes in lung weights and respiratory epithelial thicknesses between all studied groups, statistical analysis showed a significant alteration in the thickness of interalveolar septa in the St and St+GdCl[3] group compared to the control groups [P<0.001]

Conclusion: Styrene induced structural and histochemical changes in bronchiole, interalveolar septa and alveolar organization in the rats' lungs. Gadolinium appeared to partially reduce the toxic effects of styrene on the lungs

effects of aqueous extract of anacyclus pyrethrum on sperm count and reproductive organs in adult male rats

More than 80 million individuals suffer from infertility globally. Various factors such as some drugs and toxins have harmful effects on fertility. Anacyclus pyrethrum plant in Indian traditional medicine is used for treatment of many diseases including infertility. In this experimental study 48 male adult rats were divided randomly into four groups [N=12] including one control group [A] and three test groups [B, C and D]. Test groups [B, C and D] received root aqueous extract of A. pyrethrum intraperitoneally with doses of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg for 28 days, respectively. At the end of the treatment period, the reproduction variables such as weight of body and sex organs, the sperm count in epididymis and right and left vas deferens and percent of abnormal spermatozoids were determined. The test groups were compared to the controls using analysis of variance following Tukey. Data analysis of body and sex organs' weight, sperm count of epididymis and right and left vas deferens and percent of abnormal spermatozoids showed a significant difference between the tests and control groups [p=0.02, p=0.0001]; however, no significant difference was found between two groups regarding vas deferens weight. The results of the present study showed that root aqueous extract of A. pyrethrum increased the weights of body and sex organs, increase of sperm count of epididymis and right and left vas deferens, and reduction of percent of abnormal spermatozoids in treated rats

Toxic effects of cisplatin on hepatocytes and liver enzymes of rats

Introduction: Cisplatin is an antineoplastic drug, which is widely used for the treatment of solid tumors. However, its clinical usage is limited because of its side effects such as hepatotoxicity. This study aimed to identify toxic effects of cisplatin on hepatocytes of rats

Methods: A total of 45 adult Sprague Dawley rats weighing 200 +/- 30 g were randomly divided into experimental [n=30] and control [n=15] groups. Rats of experimental groups were divided into 2 subgroups; subgroup 1 received 2 consecutive 2.5mg/kg dose of cisplatin, intraperitoneally in the beginning of first and fifth weeks of the study. Subgroup 2 also received 2 consecutive 5mg/kg dose of cisplatin in the same manner of subgroup 1. After 8 weeks, rats of both groups were anesthetized and killed. Then, their blood and tissue samples were taken. Prepared sections were stained by HE method. Collected data from microscopic slides and blood samples were analyzed by SPSS using analysis of variance [ANOVA] and Tukey test

Results: Statistical analysis showed significant differences in the activity of enzymes [ALT, AST, ALP] between control and experimental groups [P<0.001]. Analysis of sinusoidal diameter also showed a significant difference between studied groups [P<0.001] too

Conclusion: Cisplatin disorganizes the architecture of hepatic lobules and increases sinusoidal diameter in rat liver

Abnormal branching pattern of the axillary artery

Accurate knowledge of the normal and variant arterial pattern of the upper extremities is important for reparative surgeons. During dissection of a male cadaver, a common trunk taking origin from the third part of the axillary artery was observed. This common trunk at first gave rise to the usual branches of this part of the artery and then descended into the arm. In the arm, it gave rise to the main branches of the brachial artery and then continued as the inferior ulnar collateral artery. In this specimen, a rare pattern of auxiliary artery branching was observed. Numerous alternatives that exist during the formation of upper limb vessels seem to be responsible for anomalous arterial branching patterns

[Histological evaluation of direct pulp capping by using of calcium hydroxide and octacalcium phosphate in cats dental pulp]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tissue responses to octacalcium phosphate [OCP] and calcium hydroxide [CH] used as direct pulp capping [DPC] materials in cat teeth. 72 premolar teeth of 9 cats were selected and divided into 3 groups [Two experimental and one control group]. After the cats had been anesthetized, the pulp were exposed and capped directly with OCP, CH or no capping material as control group. The cavities of all three groups were filled with Glass ionomer cement [GI]. Histological evaluations were performed at two, four and eight weeks after pulp capping. After tissue preparation procedures, paraffin blocks were prepared. After preparation and staining of the sections, the relevant variables were measured by optical microscope. The results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests [alpha =0.05]. Two weeks after pulp capping, all specimens in three groups showed mild to sever inflammation. The formation of hard tissue [dentinal bridge] at the exposed areas of the experimental groups was more noticeable for calcium hydroxide than that of octacalcium phosphate group. These differences were statistically significant [P<0.001]. At four weeks, hard tissues were observed in both groups which were more evident for the CH group and there were statistically significant difference between two experimental groups [p<0.003]. At eight weeks, continuous hard tissues were observed in both groups and there were no statistically significant difference between them [P>0.05], but hard tissues continuity were better for the OCP than that of the CH. It seems that the formation of hard tissue in CH because of its porosities had a worse percentage in sealing of the pulp than the OCP

Histological study of the toxic effects of solder fumes on spermatogenesis in rats

Toxic fumes generated during the soldering process contain various contaminants released at sufficient rates to cause both short- and long-term health problems. Studies have shown that these fumes change the quality and quantity of semen fluid in exposed workers. The aim of the present study was to determine the potentially toxic effects of solder fumes on spermatogenesis in seminiferous tubules of rats as an experimental model, with conditioned media in an exposed chamber. A total number of 48 male Sprague Dawley adult rats were randomly divided into experimental [n=30] and control [n=18] groups. Based on exposure time, each group was further subdivided into two, four and six subgroups. Rats in the experimental groups were exposed to solder fumes in an exposure chamber for one hour/ day. The concentrations of fumes [formaldehyde, stanurn [Sn] and lead [Pb]] were measured by a standard method via atomic absorption and spectrophotometry. According to a timetable, under deep anesthesia, the rats of both experimental and control subgroups were killed. After fixation of testes, specimens were weighed and routinely processed. Paraffin sections were stained by hematoxylin and eosin. Spermiogenesis index was calculated and data analyzed by Mann Whitney NPAR test. Analysis of air samples in the exposure chamber showed the following fume concentrations: 0.193 mg/m[3] for formaldehyde, 0.35 mg/m[3] for Sn and 3 mg/m[3] for Pb. Although there was no significant difference in testes weight between control and experimental subgroups, there was only a significant difference in spermiogenesis index between the six week experimental and control subgroups [p<0.02]. The results of this study showed that solder fumes can change the spermiogenesis index in experimental groups in a time dependent manner

study of histological effects of solder fumes in rat lungs

To determine the potential toxic effects of manual soldering flux cored solder wire on lung of the rat as an experimental model. A total number of 48 adult male rats were divided into experimental [n=30] and control [n=18] groups. Based on exposure time to solder fume, each group was further subdivided into 2, 4 and 6 week subgroups. Rats of experimental groups were exposed to fume in exposure chamber for 1 hour/day [Research Center of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, 12 Apr 2005 to 14 May 2005]. The amount of fumes were measured daily by standard methods. At the end of experiment, lung specimens were collected from each experimental and control subgroups. Tissue samples were processed routinely and thickness of epithelium in bronchioles and interalveolar septas were measured in stained microscopic slides. Obtained data were analyzed by SPSS. Statistical analysis of data for thickness of epithelium in bronchioles showed that there was only a significant difference between 4 week experimental and control subgroups [P< 0.001]. Analysis of data for thickness of interalveolar septa showed statistically significant differences between experimental and control subgroups of 4 and 6 weeks [P< 0.001]. Histological examination was also revealed an inflammatory process in bronchioles and disorganized architecture in alveoli of lung in experimental subgroups. The result showed that solder fume can change the normal architectures of epithelium in bronchioles and alveoli of the lung and it seems that the severities of changes were dependent on the exposure time

Histochemical study of N-acetygalactosamine containing glycoconjugate in intraductal carcinoma of the breast by HPA lectin

Glycoconjugates are a class of glycoproteins or glycolipids, their terminal sugars are responsible for cell-cell and/or cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Aberrant glycosylation of these compounds are one of the most important aspects of cellular transformation, metastasis and escape of tumoral cells from immune system and resistance to antineoplastic drugs. Recent studies showed that patients with HPA [helix pomatia agglutinin] positive intraductal carcinoma cells have worse prognosis compared to patients with HPA negative cells. The aim of the present study was to define the presence of GalNac terminal sugar in glycoconjugate of different grades of intraductal breast carcinoma and to compare the degree and the pattern of reactivity of tumoral cells to HPA lectin. Material and The paraffin blocks belonging to 20 patients of intraductal carcinoma was chosen from pathology archive of Khatam-Al-Anbia hospital in Zahedan and 5-7 micrometer sections were prepared. Two expert pathologists determined histopathological grading independently. The lectin histochemistry was performed using HPA. The same observers determined histochemical grading. Data were analyzed by NPAR [non-parametric] test of Mann Whitney. Results of this study revealed that the pattern and the degree of histochemical reactivity of neoplastic cells differ in all grades of intraductal carcinoma. Histochemical staining showed significant difference between grades of intraductal carcinoma of the breast [p<0.003]. The lowest reactivity was seen in grade I and the highest in grade III. Furthermore, the reaction of tumoral cells was primarily confined to apical surfaces of cells in grade I, to the Golgi zone in grade II, and to a diffuse cytoplasmic distribution in grade III Our data suggest that the HPA reactivity of tumoral cells were different in all grades of intraductal carcinoma. The tumor cells showed aberrant glycosylation, which occurred in the course of anaplastic changes. It seems that our data suggest a potential and clinically important role of HPA reactivity to predict the invasive nature of malignant tumoral cells of intraductal carcinoma of the breast