Administration of Vaccine Preservative Thimerosal Produces Impairment in Rat Liver

Abstract The present research was planned to analyze the toxic effects of thimerosal on rat liver. Mercury and mercury compounds are universally known toxicants for animals and humans. Thimerosal is widely used in the vaccines as a preservative which contains 49.6% mercury. Twenty-four adult male albino rats were distributed into four groups (n=6). The first group was considered as a control group. While, second, third and fourth groups were intoxicated with 0.5, 10 and 50 µg/kg thimerosal (i.m.) respectively. After 30 days, rats were slaughtered to analyze the liver tissues. The results of the experiment exposed that thimerosal instigated significant (p<0.05) increase in alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aminotransferase (AST) levels. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) activities and Glutathione (GSH) and protein levels were significantly (p<0.05) reduced. Furthermore, significant increases in Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level and DNA damage was observed. Histopathological study revealed severe damages, e.g. fatty alterations, deterioration of lobular structure and degeneration of nuclei in hepatic tissues of thimerosal treated rats. Results of present investigation revealed that thimerosal induces hepatotoxicity at different levels.

Effects of sub-lethal exposure of lead acetate on histopathology of gills, liver, kidney and muscle and its accumulation in these organs of Clarias gariepinus

The aim of this work was to study the effects of sub-lethal exposure of lead acetate on the histopathology of the gills, liver, kidney and muscle and its accumulation in these organs of Clarias gariepinus. Results showed that lead accumulation in the tissues of C. gariepinus was dependent on the exposure period and lead concentration. Gills and liver were the predominant storage tissue and the order of accumulation in tissues was gill > liver > kidney > muscle. Some structural changes were observed in different organs, especially in the gills of the fishes exposed to lead acetate. Epithelial hypertrophy and epithelial lifting were apparent in the gills of exposed fishes. The degeneration of cytoplasm and secondary lamellae was also observed. Necrosis of hepatocytes was apparent. Glomerular expansion and gaps between the muscular bundles were found in the fishes exposed to lead acetate.

Determination of aortic valve efficiency through vortex physical parameters in normal, regurgitate, and stenotic valve by using Doppler-mode echocardiography

Doppler ultrasound technique has been proposed as a noninvasive means of quantifying diastolic and systolic cardiac function by measuring flow propagation into the left ventricle and ejection blood to the body. The relationship between Doppler-derived parameters and underlying fluid dynamics is still unclear. The purpose of this study is to deduce effective physical parameters used in measuring the change in the geometrical shapes of the aortic valve leaflets during the vortex formation. These parameters are defined as the [Blockage factor, Strouhal number and Formation number]. One hundred fifty subjects were selected; The B-factor was correlated with Strouhal number and Formation number for 100 normal aortic valve subjects, and 50 abnormal subjects divided equally into regurgitate [25], and stenotic aortic valve [25], other physical parameters are also calculated. Doppler Echocardiography technique as a noninvasive technique that provides unique hemodynamic information which can not be achieved by any other means. The accuracy of the results depends, however, on meticulous technique and an understanding of Doppler principles and flow dynamics. This technique recommended through scientific literature. It has been found that the mean values and standard deviation of [ST-No] and [F-No] for normal aortic valve are [1.55 +/- 0.55] and [10.12 +/- 3.16], regurgitate [2.823 +/- 0.992] and [5.722 +/- 1.68], and for stenotic aortic valve subjects are [0.939 +/- 0.14] and [15.82 +/- 2.20] respectively. The results show that [St-No] of normal aortic valve is larger than that for stenotic, which may indicate that the inertial effects of normal valve are larger than those of stenotic valve. This because pressure energy is expanded to overcome inertia rather than converted solely to kinetic energy. The results obtained showed significant elevation of [ST -No] with aortic valve dimensions, and the improvement in efficiency decreases with increasing Strouhal number. A significant elevated [F-No] has been also noted to be increased with aortic valve area. The study of the Formation number and Strouhal number is important to determine the severity of the stenotic and regurgitate aortic valve and gives a good parameters that can be used in medical diagnosis

Pulmonary vascular complications of chronic liver disease: pathophysiology, imaging, and treatment

To review the pathogenesis of pulmonary vascular complications of liver disease, we discuss their clinical implications, and therapeutic considerations, with emphasis on potential reversibility of the hepatopulmonary syndrome after liver transplantation. In this review, we also discuss the role of imaging in pulmonary vascular complications associated with liver disease

Effect of small dose intravenous dexmedetomidine and/or local anaesthetic infiltration on haemodynamic responses to skull pin placement

Fixation of skull pins during craniotomy may cause acute haemodynamic changes. We evaluated, in this randomised double blind placebo controlled trial, the effects of small dose of dexmedetomidine [Dex] infusion in attenuating the haemodynamic profile during skull pin placement. Twenty-eight patients ASA I and II undergoing elective craniotomy were studied. Anaesthesia induced with sufentanil and sodium thiopentone [STP]. Cisatracurium was given to facilitate endotracheal intubation. Patients were randomly allocated to one of four groups [each 7 patients]: dex, lidocaine, dex-lidocaine and placebo [groups I, II, III, and IV respectively]. Groups I and III received intravenous Dex 0.25 meg/kg infusion and local infiltration with normal saline [NS] in group I and with 1% lidocaine in group III. Groups II and IV received intravenous NS and local infiltration at each pin insertion site with 1% lidocaine in group II and NS in group IV. The protocol started with intravenous medications to the assigned groups followed [after 8 min] with local infiltration of the scalp. Two minutes later [10 min after intravenous medication], scalp pinning was performed. Variables recorded were heart rate [HR], systolic blood pressure [SBP] and mean blood pressure [MBP] at different times. After opening the dura, brain status was assessed by the surgeon. Repeated measures of variance of HR, SBP, and MBP showed statistically significant interaction between group assignment and assigned time for groups I and III. In conclusion, our results showed that use of small doses of dex has resulted in obtunding the haemodynamic response to skull pin placement