Fowler's syndrome and pregnancy.

We present a favourable outcome of a pregnant woman with underlying Fowler's syndrome. This is a rare disorder affecting young women with painless urinary retention, and as there is no known cure, the main concern is to ensure adequate bladder emptying. Our patient went through self-catheterisation and suprapubic catheters after which she was finally successfully managed on a sacral nerve stimulator (SNS). Upon getting pregnant the stimulator was switched off due to safety concerns, and from then on, bladder emptying was managed with a suprapubic catheter (which was regularly changed over the gestation). The main concern thereafter was recurrent hospital admissions with urinary tract infections and pelvic pain requiring parenteral antibiotics and analgesia. She underwent an uncomplicated elective caesarean section at 36 weeks and delivered a healthy female infant. The SNS was successfully reactivated in the postnatal phase, and the suprapubic catheter was removed upon achieving adequate urethral output.

Effects of dietary vitamin E, C and soybean oil supplementation on antioxidant enzyme activities in liver and muscles of rats.

The effect of elevated levels of dietary vitamin E, C and a combination of vitamin E and C (E&C) with soybean oil on activities of antioxidant (AOE) enzymes important in the protection against lipid peroxidation was studied in male rats fed with vitamin C (12 mg/g), vitamin E (3.68 mg/g) or E&C (3.68 mg/kg+12 mg/g) supplemented diets for 28 days. Catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) activity in liver, pectoralis major (PM) and sartorius (S) muscles was increased significantly in rats fed with dietary vitamin C, E separately, and vitamin C&E combination, except, superoxide dismutase (SOD), which showed no alterations. These results clearly indicated that vitamin E&C separately and E&C together increased AOE activity in liver, PM and S muscle of rats. However, vitamin E and C combination enhanced AOE activity more significantly and our findings suggest the possible role of vitamin C&E and their combination in reducing the risk of chronic diseases related to oxidative stress.

Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activity in different organs of mice exposed to low level of mercury.

The effects of mercuric chloride (Hg) on lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels in different organs of mice (CD-1) were evaluated. Mice were exposed (2 days/week) to 0.0 (control), 0.8 (low) and 8.0 (mid) and 80.0 (high) gHg/kg/day for 2 weeks. The high dose group was excluded from the study due to high mortality. LPO levels in kidney, testis and epididymus at low and mid doses; GR and GPx levels in testis at mid dose; SOD levels in brain and testis at both doses, liver and epididymus at mid dose; GSH levels in testis at both doses were significantly increased compared to their controls. However, the GR levels in kidney at both doses and in epididymus at mid dose; GPx levels in kidney and epididymus and SOD levels in kidney at both the doses; GSH levels in epididymus at mid dose were significantly decreased compared to their control. Body weight gain and food efficiency were significantly reduced (p<0.05) in mid dose. These results indicated that Hg treatment enhanced LPO in all tissues, but showed significant enhancement only in kidney, testis and epididymus suggesting that these organs were more susceptible to Hg toxicity. The increase in antioxidant enzyme levels in testis could be a mechanism protecting the cells against reactive oxygen species.

Assessment of a two-generation reproductive and fertility study of mercuric chloride in rats.

Effects of mercuric chloride (MC) on the reproductive performance of two successive generations of rats was evaluated. F(0) rats were exposed to 0.0:0.0 (males:females), 0.50:0.75 (males:females), 1.00:1.50 (males:females) and 1.50:2.50 (males:females) mg/kg/day MC. Selected parental F(1) males and females were exposed to the same doses received by their parents (F(0)). Significant differences resulting from exposure of the F(0) generation to MC were found in implantation efficiency, fertility, live births and day 4 survival indices, litter size, and the body weight of F(1) pups. However, the continued exposure of the F(1) generation to MC did not affect fertility index or litter size, but did significantly affect implantation efficiency, live births and day 4 survival indices. In F(0) males, body weight and weights of the kidneys, testes, epididymides, prostate and seminal vesicles were significantly different, while in F(1) males, body weight, kidney weight, brain weight, liver weight and the weights of the testes, prostate and seminal vesicles were significantly different. In F(0) females, body weight and the weights of the kidneys, brain and liver were significantly different, while in F(1,) females, body weight, as well as the weights of the kidneys, liver, adrenals, uterus and ovaries were significantly different. These data showed that exposure to MC resulted in more adverse reproductive effects in the first generation and that these effects moderated in the second generation.

Uptake and distribution of mercury in rats after repeated administration of mercuric chloride.

This investigation was under taken to evaluate the effect of repeated exposure of mercuric chloride (MC) on food consumption, body weight gain and tissue distribution of mercury in rats. After two weeks of acclimation, male and female rats (45-50 days old) were orally gavaged with 0.00, 2.0, 4.0 6.0, 8.0 or 10.0 mg/kg/day of MC for 14 consecutive days. The mortality and food consumption were recorded daily. The body weight gains were recorded on day 0, 4, 7, 10, and at day of termination. At the end of the experiment, all surviving rats were euthanized and tissue samples from their brains, gonads, hearts, kidneys, livers, lungs, pancreases and spleens were collected and analyzed for mercury content. Exposure of male and female rats to 4.0 mg/kg/day of MC showed a significant reduction in body weight gain and food consumption when compared to their controls. However, at 2.0 mg/kg/day dose group showed no change of body gain and food consumption. The mercury contents in brains, gonads, hearts, and spleens of male and female rats at 0.0 and 2.0 mg/kg/day were undetectable. Both male and female rats accumulated significantly more mercury in the kidneys than the other organs. Mercury content in the kidneys of females was 39.9 and 40.9 microg/g at 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg/day, respectively and of males was 34.9 and 41.0 microg/g at 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg/day, respectively. However, mercury content in the kidneys and livers of males and females did not show any significant difference. Mercury content in the kidneys of both of sexes was significantly higher than the other organs.

Accumulation of mercury and its effect on antioxidant enzymes in brain, liver, and kidneys of mice.

The effect of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) on the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and its effect on glutathione (GSH) content were evaluated in different organs (liver, kidneys, and brain) of mice after administration at 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg/day for 14 days. The uptake of mercury shows that the kidneys accumulated the highest levels of mercury compare to brain and liver. The enzyme levels varied in mercury treated organs compare to control. A dose dependent increase of antioxidant enzymes occurred in the liver and kidneys. The increase in enzyme activities correlated with highest mercury accumulation in the kidneys and liver. Mercury is known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo and in vitro, therefore, it is likely that enzyme activities increased to scavenge ROS levels produced as a result of mercury accumulation. Glutathione content increased in liver and kidneys of mercury treated mice compare to control. The results showed that the highest oral dose of mercury significantly increased antioxidant enzymes in kidneys and liver. The increased antioxidant enzymes enhance the antioxidant potential of the organs to reduce oxidative stress.

Heavy metal concentrations in two populations of crayfish.

To monitor the environmental contamination of heavy metals in Tuskegee Lake (TL) and National Forest Creek (NFC), Tuskegee, Alabama, adult crayfish muscle and exoskeleton and sediment samples were collected and analyzed for Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu, Co, Ni and Zn. In both TL and NFC crayfish Cu and Zn were not different in muscle and exoskeleton; however, Pb and Cd were significantly different. The Pb in exoskeleton and the Cu and Zn in muscle and exoskeleton of TL crayfish were significantly higher than that of NFC crayfish; however, Cd and Ni were not different between tissues or crayfish sources. Levels of Hg and Co were not detectable.

Trace element concentrations in tissues of goats from Alabama.

Liver, kidney and muscle tissues of goats slaughtered in Alabama were analyzed for Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. The Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations were significantly higher in livers than in kidneys and muscles. The Zn was significantly higher in livers and muscles than in kidneys. The concentrations of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in muscle were not significantly different between male and female goats. However, the Cu, Fe and Mn in livers and Fe in kidneys were significantly different between males and females. The concentrations of Fe, Mn and Zn in livers, Fe and Zn in muscles, and Fe in kidneys were significantly different between young and old goats. The Cu, Mn and Zn in kidneys were not significantly different between the young and old.

Mercury in white-tailed deer forage in Russell Plantation, Macon County, Alabama.

Liver and kidney samples from white-tailed deer were collected during the 1992 and 1993 hunting seasons on the Russell Plantation, Macon County, AL and analyzed for mercury content. The mercury levels of the livers and kidneys of male and female deer did not have significant differences, and the mercury in the kidneys of young and old deer did not significantly differ. However, the mercury in the livers of younger deer was significantly lower than that of older deer.

Effect of methylmercury on egg and juvenile viability in two populations of killifish Fundulus heteroclitus.

Killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) eggs from a polluted creek (Piles Creek (PC)) and a relatively pristine estuary in Long Island (LI) were exposed for 20 min to various concentrations of methylmercuric chloride (MeHg) prior to combination with untreated sperm. PC killifish eggs showed a higher LC50 value (1.7 mg/liter) than LI eggs (0.7 mg/liter). PC eggs that were fertilized by nontreated sperm after exposure to 1.0 or 2.5 mg/liter meHg and then placed in clean sea water (15 parts per thousand) for 1 week showed a 5 and 7% malformations of the embryos, respectively. However, exposure of LI eggs to 1.0 mg/liter prior to fertilization caused 32% malformations of the embryos, and at 2.5 mg/liter almost all the embryos died. The data indicate that LI killifish eggs are less tolerant to meHg than PC eggs. This is in keeping with previous data on embryonic tolerance to meHg in these two populations. However, 96-hr LC50 values of juvenile fish (25-45 mm standard length) did not differ between these two populations.

Ultrasound placental localisation in early pregnancy.

A retrospective study of 400 consecutive case records was made to establish the clinical significance of the low lying placenta found on ultrasound. Diagnostic accuracy is discussed. 30% of the patients had a low lying placenta on early scan. Of these, 73% had a follow up scan. There was a progressive drop in the incidence of low lying placentae through pregnancy until at term, in this study, there was no placenta previa. It is considered that a repeat scan is necessary to exclude placenta previa, but not until 34 weeks gestation. Amongst the patients with early low lying placentae the incidence of antepartum haemorrhage of indeterminate type was significantly high (P less than 0.001). A careful surveillance of these patients is therefore required. Dynamic placental migration may be the cause of this bleeding. Further study is necessary to determine the effect of early placental position on subsequent fetal development.

Toxic effects of mercuric chloride on sperm and egg viability of two populations of mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus.

Exposure of mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) sperm from polluted Piles Creek (PC) to 0.01 ppm mercuric chloride (Hg) for 2 min caused a significant reduction in fertilization success. However, comparable exposure of sperm of mummichog from a relatively clean area in Long Island (LI) did not effect the fertilization success. Exposure of PC mummichog sperm to 0.05 ppm Hg for 2 min caused significant reduction in sperm motility. On the other hand, comparable exposure of LI mummichog sperm did not have any effect on motility. These data indicate that Hg is more toxic for PC mummichog sperm than LI mummichog sperm. Exposure of both PC and LI sperm either to 15 ppt sea water or to 0.05 ppm Hg for 15 min did not affect the morphology of the sperm, as seen by scanning electron microscopy. Exposure of PC and LI mummichog eggs to 0.05 ppm Hg up to 25 min had no effect on fertilization success, indicating that eggs are more tolerant to Hg than sperm.