Teratologieal effects of gamma-irradiation during three gestaional intervals in rats

The present study aimed to evaluate the teratological effects of gamma-irradiation during three intervals of gestation; pre-implantation, organogenesis and fetal periods in rats. Four groups of pregnant rats were used in this study; the first one [GI] served as control. The second [GII], third [GIII] and fourth [GIV] groups were subjected to whole body gamma-radiation at a sub-lethal single dose level of 4 Gy at the third day, 10[th] day and 14[th] day of gestation respectively. Pregnant rats were sacrificed at the 20[th] day of gestation, implantation sites, resorption, embryonic death, fetal death, growth retarded fetuses, external malformations and skeletal malformiation were recorded. The results showed that whole body gamma-irradiation caused resorption in the embryos of pregnant rats especially in those exposed during the pre-implantation period than the two other periods. The embryonic and fetal deaths were prominent in the fetuses maternally exposed to whole body gamma-irradiation during the organogenesis period. The highest percentage of growth retarded fetuses was found in fetuses maternally exposed to gamma-rays during the organogenesis period followed by fetuses maternally exposed to gamma-irradiation during the fetal period and then fetuses maternally exposed to gamma-irradiation during the pre-implantation period. The skeletal malformations as a result of gamma-irradiation were mostly represented in less ossification in the skull bones, less ossification in the vertebral centra and wavy ribs. The most affected fetal skeleton was perceptive in GIII [fetuses maternally exposed to gamma-irradiation during the organogenesis period] followed by GIl and then GIV

Significance of urinary and serum IL -8 levels as indicator - tor for diagnosis of hositally acquired urinary tract infection

UTI is one of the main diseases affecting human beings especially when the infection is acquired inside hospital due to invasive medical procedures. Pyuria is one of the main features of U. T.I. The signs and symptoms may be nonsense and sometimes upper or lower UTI symptoms may not accompanied by pyuria. Nevertheless the mechanism of polymorph nuclear leucocytes [PNL] recruitment into the urine remain to be routinely investigated as an evidence for infection. Also the microbial urinary count more than 10[5] organism/ml urine coincide as an indicator for UTI. Although in many occasions it shows lower value or may be nil with eminent UTI. This study was done to detect level of interleukin-8 [IL-8] as potent neutrophil chemoattractant in cases of symptomatic and asymptomatic UTI. Urine and serum specimens were collected from three groups of patients with UTI: Group 1[20 patients with upper UTI], Group 11[20 patients with lower UTI], and Group III [20 patients with asymptomatic UTI] to compare between serum and urinary level of IL-8. A fourth group composed of ten apparently healthy normal controls with normal urine analysis and no bacteriuria were also included in the study. The study showed elevated mean levels of IL-8 in the urine of group 1[286. 9 pg/ml] and group 11[312 pg/ml] and group III [273.3 pg/ml] as compared to 8.9 pg/ml in controls. The mean urinary IL-8 levels were also raised more than the serum levels [96, 52, and 32 pg/ml in group I, II and III respectively] compared to 10.12 pg/ml in controls suggesting local production of IL-8 in the urinary tract mucosa which recruit into systemic circulation. The urinary IL-8 level was found to be correlated with the number of PNLs in the urine indicating exponential relation proving the role of IL-8 as chemoattractant. There was insignificant difference in mean urinary levels of IL-8 between upper or lower UTI, and also insignificant difference in serum IL-8 between both groups [P>0.05] although it was found to be higher in patients with upper UTI. In addition there was not any correlation between Gram -ve or Gram +ve isolated bacteria and variability of IL-8 level. Also, IL-8 level was not related to age or sex. The level of urinary IL-8 was raised in cases of UTI showing no symptoms or with oligopyuria and sometimes with microbial count less than 10[5] microorganism/ml urine. These results insure that IL-8 can be used as a sensitive indicator for all types of UTI either symptomatic or asymptomatic, with or without pyuria or significant bacterial count

Breast cancer in Egypt: a review of disease presentation and detection strategies

Carcinoma of the breast is the most prevalent cancer among Egyptian women and constitutes 29% of National Cancer Institute cases. Median age at diagnosis is one decade younger than in countries of Europe and North America and most patients are premenopausal. Tumours are relatively advanced at presentation. The majority of tumours are invasive duct subtype and the profile of hormone receptors is positive for estrogen receptors and /or progesterone receptors in less than half of cases. This overview examines genetic changes, potential and established predictive and prognostic markers and end results of surgery, radiotherapy and systemic therapy for early, locally advanced and metastatic disease stages. Disease presentations common to the region and early detection strategies are presented

Histochemical studies on the role of pantothenic acid on radiation damage of the kidney

The present study was designed to evaluate effect of pantothenic acid to gamma irradiated rats. Female albino rats [120-150gm] were subjected to [5 Gy] whole body [137]Cs gamma irradiation. Fresh kidney specimens were obtained after 1 and 4 weeks of treatment. Frozen sections were prepared for histochemical study for localization of both acid, alkaline phosphatases and succinic dehydrogenase enzymes. The enzymatic activity was quantitatively evaluated and statistically analyzed. The obtained results showed significant decrease in both alkaline phosphatase and succinic dehydrogenase enzymes activity while the acid phosphatase enzyme activity was significantly increased in comparison to the control group after one week, while after four weeks the activity of both acid and alkaline phosphatase were significantly increased, while the enzymatic activity of succinic dehydrogenase decrease. Pantothenic acid treatment [22 mg/kg body weight / day for 6 days] after half hour of radiation showed marked improvement of the radiation induced changes in the activity of measured enzymes. Finally it could be concluded that pantothenic acid could be of value in improving the radiation injury on the kidney

Serum and tissue CEA in gastric mucosa of patients with hepatosplenomegaly

This work was carried out to clarify the possibility of neoplastic transformation in patients with atrophic gastritis complicating endemic hepatosplenomegaly and to identify those with or at a special risk of developing premalignant or malignant gastric lesions. Estimation of CEA in the gastric tissue and serum of these patients will be our tool. This study was carried out on 3 groups. The study group included 35 patients having endemic hepatosplenomegaly associated with atrophic gastritis, the control group one comprised 10 normal individuals and control groups II included 18 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. After detailed history, full clinical examination all study groups were subjected to complete urine and stool analysis and gastric biopsies were taken by endoscopy and stained by H and E. Paraffin section were further stained by tissue CEA and lastly serum estemation of CEA level was evaluated. These results were statistically analysed tissue CEA was positive in [37.1%], study group compared to 0% in normal individuals and [100%] in control group in having gastric adenocarcinoma while serum CEA was insignificantly higher than in normal group and significantly lower than control group II. No significant association was found between serum CEA and degree of mucosal atrophy. More over no significant association was found between serum CEA and tissue CEA in study group. These data conclude that atrophic gastritis complicating hepatosplenomegaly have increase incidence of tissue CEA than normal. Twenty per cent of those patients had level serum CEA higher than the cut off value denoting that these patients are at higher risk of developing carcinoma

Role of Gardnerella vaginalis in vaginitis

This study included fifty females with vaginitis and fifty males attending the Andrology Clinic, Cairo University Hospital. Their selection was at random to include both fertile and infertile individuals. Semen and vaginal secretions were examined bacteriologically by direct smear, aerobic and anaerobic cultures, cultures on selective human blood agar for isolation of G. vaginalis. G. vaginalis was isolated from 12% of males and anaerobes from 14%. But their presence in semen was asymptomatic. The presence of these organisms in semen did not correlate with infertility, and further studies were advisable in this respect. In females G. vaginalis was isolated from 16% of cases and anaerobes from 28%. They caused symptoms of vaginitis and there was an association between them. Recurrence after treatment in females occurred from the male partner who acts as a reservoir. Thus treatment of both partners at the same time was advisable

Histiocytosis x: light and electron microscopic study with special reference to skin manifestations

A total of 25 cases of histiocytic infiltration of the skin were studied. These comprised 15 patients diagnosed as having histiocytosis X [12 cases of eosinophilic granuloma, one case of Hand- Schueller-Christian disease and two cases of letterer Siwe disease] and 10 cases of non-X histiocytic lesions of the skin and subcutaneous tissues [two cases of xanthogranuloma and eight fibrous histiocytomas]. The various cutaneous lesions encountered were described. The diagnostic histopathologic features of each group were presented. Langerhans cells with folded, indented or lobulated nuclei were identified in all the 15 cases of histiocytosis X. Langerhans granules, trilaminar membranous loops and comma shaped bodies were found in 20-50% of cells of all the five cases of histiocytosis X examined ultrastructurally irrespective to the clinical form of the disease. The importance of electron microscopy as a diagnostic tool for confirmation of the diagnosis and differentiating those cutaneous lesions due to histiocytosis X from non-X histiocytic tumors is emphasized

Kaposi's sarcoma: ultrastructural study and immunoperoxidase localization of factor VIII-related antigen

Fifteen patients with Kaposi's sarcoma were studied. Nine patients had early cutaneous plaques and six patients had locally extensive nodular lesions with lymph node affection in two patients. Satisfactory electron micrographs after initial 10% formalin fixation were obtained in two cases. Factor VIII-related antigen localization was studied by immunoperoxidase stain in eight cases with available paraffin blocks. Ultrastructurally, the tumor contained variable mixture of cells including endothelial cells, pericytes, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Immunoperoxidase staining for factor VIII-related antigen was positive in all the eight cases with positive cytoplasmic staining in the endothelial cells lining of the well formed blood vessels and some proliferating spindle cells indicating their vascular [endothelial] derivation. The histologic features which help in the diagnosis of Kaposi's sarcoma from other histologic entities were reviewed. The presence of abnormally shaped vessels with jagged outline was the most helpful single criterion to diagnose early lesions