Effects of prenatal and postnatal protein malnutrition on the cerebellum of albino rat pups

Protein malnutrition is a worldwide problem affecting millions of infants during development of cerebellum causing structural and functional deficits. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of prenatal and postnatal protein malnutrition on cerebellar cortex of albino rat pups. Pregnant rats were collected randomly and divided into two main groups; Control [25% protein] and malnourished [8% protein]. Each main group was subdivided into two groups [ten dams each] where pups were collected at the age of 4 days and 22 days. The cerebellum from each pup was fixed and prepared for the Haematoxylin and Eosin stain then used for measurements of cerebellar layers thickness. Prenatal and postnatal protein malnutrition in rat pups decreased significantly the thickness of all cerebellar layers at ages of 4 and 22 days. It was observed that protein malnutrition distorted the shape of Purkinje cells and decreased significantly their surface area. In conclusion, exposure of neonatal rats to prenatal and postnatal protein malnutrition resulted in a significant reduction in the thickness of all cerebellar layers and distortion of the Purkinje cells. These changes could affect cerebellar functions later

Heterocyclic synthesis with nitriles: synthesis of some novel furo [2,3-b] nicotinic acid derivatives of anticipated biological activity

2-Amino-5-phenylfuran-3-carbonitrile 2 reacts with malonic acid derivatives 3a-d and 6 to afford the furo [2, 3-b] pyridine derivatives 5a-c. Compounds 2 reacts with urea and thiourea to afford the pyrrole derivative 10 which was also obtained from 2 and ammonium acetate. The reaction of 2 with the arylidene derivatives 11a-f yield the furo [2, 3-b] nicotinonitrile derivatives 13a, c, e; which were hydrolyzed to the nicotinic acid derivatives 14a, c, e, respectively. Compound 2 reacts also with the acrylic acid derivatively 15a-c to afford the furo [2, 3-b] nicotinic acid derivatives 17a-c, which were hydrolyzed to give the furo [2, 3-b] nicotinic acid 18. Compounds 5b, c undergo S-or N-alkylation on reaction with phenacyl bromide 19a and ethyl bromoacetate 19b to yield compounds 20a-d, respectively. Compound 5b reacts with hydrazine hydrate to afford the hydrazino derivative 22 which could be cyclized into the furopyridopyrazole derivative 23. Compound 5b reacts also with I2/Kl in DMF to afford the disulphide 24