Effect of acrylamide on testis of albino rats. ultrastructure and DNA cytometry study

To explore the harmful effects of acrylamide on the structure of testis in albino rats, in an attempt to clarify its potential risks on human health. The present study was carried out in the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from December 2010 to December 2011. Forty-eight adult male albino rats [250-300 g] were divided randomly into 6 groups. Electron microscopy and histochemical techniques using Feulgen stain were used to conduct the morphological study. In addition, DNA cytometry method was used. Rats treated with acrylamide 25 mg/kg body weight for 10 days showed mild affection, whether acrylamide was administered orally or intraperitoneally. On the other hand, the testis of the group treated with a dose of 50 mg/kg/10 days showed damage, especially with intraperitoneal administration in comparison to oral treatment. This was in the form of degeneration of germ cells, numerous multinucleated giant cells with sloughed seminiferous epithelium, and vacuolation in-between the germ cells. Exposure to acrylamide produced degenerative changes in the testis, which were more prominent with a longer period of exposure. Recommendations are necessary to decrease acrylamide level in different foods, and ways to decrease the acrylamide formation during preparation of different foods should be advertised

Comparison between the antioxidant level of uremic patients before and after hemodialysis [Hd] and vitamin E therapy: prospective cohort study

A prospective cohort study of 18 males aged 19-45 years with chronic renal failure attending the lbn Sina Teaching Hospital, Mosul for Hemodialysis [HD] between March 2007 and March 2008 assessed the oxidative stress, antioxidant status, serum urea and serum creatinine before and after hemodialysis and following subsequent supplementation with oral Vitamin E. Blood samples collected before starting hemodialysis, after three weeks of twice-weekly dialysis, and then after three weeks of oral vitamin E [400 i.u/day] showed significant decreases of total antioxidant status [TAS] after HD but a significant increase of TAS after Vitamin E therapy; a non-significant increase of lipid peroxidation indicator [serum malondialdehyde; MDA] after HD alone but a significant decrease of MDA after Vitamin E therapy; a highly significant decrease of serum urea after HD and a highly significant increase of serum urea after Vitamin E therapy; a highly significant decrease of serum creatinine after HD and a highly significant increase of serum creatinine after Vitamin E therapy; a highly significant decrease of serum uric acid after HD and a highly significant increase of serum uric acid after Vitamin E therapy. There were non-significant correlations between TAS and MDA, uric acid, serum urea and serum creatinine after HD and after Vitamin F therapy. It is concluded that in patients with chronic renal failure oxidative stress is further exacerbated, as shown by decreased TAS and increased MDA although serum uric acid is not the sole contributor. Vitamin E supplementation in such patients after HD does not enhance renal function but it decreases the oxidative stress by decreasing MDA and enhancing antioxidant body status by increasing significantly TAS and serum uric acid

Group A streptococcal antigen detection in school children

The objective of the study was to determine the correlation between group A streptococcal antigen detected from throat swabs with the culture results. A total of 1457 children had two swabs taken simultaneously, and culture and antigen detection were performed. There was a good correlation between antigen detection and isolation rates. In all, 225 strains of group A streptococcus were isolated; 53 [57.6%] were from the 92 children with high antigen positivity, 68 [55.7%] were from the 122 children with medium antigen positivity and 77 [25.4%] were from 303 children with low antigen positivity; only 27 [2.9%] were from the 940 children with no antigen detected. We postulate that those who are antigen-positive, culture-negative carry the organisms in their throats, but they may be missed on culture because of the small number carried

Activated protein-C resistance [APC] as a risk factor for thrombosis in cerebral and myocardial infarction

Activated protein-C. [APC] resistance is referred to poor anticoagulant response to activated protein C. It is a strong risk factor for the genesis of venous thrombosis. To evaluate its role in the pathogens is of arterial thrombosis, APC sensitivity ratio [APC-SR] was estimated in 40 healthy control subjects without history of thrombosis, and in 40 subjects with arterial thrombosis before the age of 45 years. [20 subjects with myocardial infarction and 20 with cerebral infarction]. In addition, protein C, protein S, antithrombin III activity, thrombomodulin [TM], prothrombin time [PT] and partial thromboplastin time [PTT] were also measured.The study revealed that the lower limit of normal APC-SR was 1.8, below which we found 15 positive cases for APC resistance among our patients [9 cases with myocardrial infarction and 6 cases with cerebral infarction] and non in control subjects. A statistically significant decrease in APC-SR [P < 0.01] was found in all patients with arterial thrombosis [2.18 +/- 0.22] as compared to control group [2.84 +/- 0.52] and in APC positive patients [1.69 +/- 0.44] as compared to each of APC negative patients [2.67 +/- 0.62], all patients with thrombosis [2.18 +/- 0.22] and control group [2.82 +/- 0.52]. There was no significant difference in APC-SR between APC positive stroke and APC positive myocardial infarction. PTT was significantly decreased in APC positive patients as compared to control and APC negative subjects [P <0.01]. Other parameters of study did not show any siginificant difference between different groups and subgroups of study. Significant positive correlation was found between APC-SR and PTT in all patients of this study [r = 0.408, P < 0.05].Smoking was found to increase the relative risk of thrombosis among APC positive cases by about 2 folds, while hypertension increases this relative risk by 3 folds than normotensive APC positive cases. We can conclude that APC resistance may be a strong risk factor for premature arterial thrombosis [before 45 years] and the risk of thrombosis among APC positive cases increases with smoking and hypertension

Circulatory factor VIII inhibitor associated with pregnancy

A 35-year-old female patient developed persistent painless haematuria during her third pregnancy and severe life-threatening bleeding occurred shortly after delivery. Laboratory findings were consistent with the presence of factor VIII inhibitor. The initial symptoms started 6 weeks after she was transfused with red blood cells