Silibinin and ellagic acid increase the expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 protein in ultraviolet irradiated rat skin.

Daily exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light induces inflammation and tumorigenesis in the skin. Silibinin and ellagic acid are natural products that exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic properties. Insulin receptor substrate protein 1 (IRS1) is important for skin homeostasis and physiology, but its activity following UV radiation remains unclear. We investigated the effects of ellagic acid and silibinin on IRS1 expression in ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiated rat skin. Forty-two female Wistar rats were divided randomly into six groups of seven animals. The dorsal skin of rats was exposed to UVA + UVB, then treated with ellagic acid and silibinin by gavage. IRS1 expression in skin tissues was determined by western blot analysis. IRS1 expression increased significantly following treatment with ellagic acid and silibinin in UVA + UVB irradiated skin compared to the UVA + UVB only group. After UVA + UVB treatment, ellagic acid effected greater induction of IRS1 expression than silibinin. Our findings suggest that the photoprotective roles of ellagic acid and silibinin may be due to induction of IRS1 expression in UVA + UVB treated rat skin.

A Morphological and Stereological Study on Cervical Segment of Spinal Cord of Quails.

In this study, volume densities of white and grey matters of cervical segments of spinal cords of quail were investigated stereologically. In both sexes, mature, six quails were used as material of this study. All animals were fixed by perfusing in 10% buffered formalin. Tissue specimens were obtained from cervical spinal cords. These tissue specimens were cut every fiftieth section at 5 µm thickness by a microtome. And mean six or seven sections were examined from every block by this method at microscope. After that, these sections were stained by haematoxylin eosin and photographed. Densities of volumes of all tissues of cervical segments of whole spinal cords and white and grey matters were calculated with principle of Cavalieri. As a result, total volume of spinal cord, volumes of white and grey matters of cervical segment and volume rates of white and grey matters were calculated.

Stereological and histopathological evaluation of ovary and uterine horns of female rats prenatally exposed to diclofenac sodium.

In this study, we investigated the morphometric and histological alterations of the ovary and uterine horns in 4-week-old rats that were prenatally exposed to diclofenac sodium (DS). For this purpose, pregnant rats were divided into two groups: the control and drug-treated groups. Beginning from the 5th day after mating through the 15th day of pregnancy, DS (1 mg/kg daily) was intraperitoneally injected in the treated group. No injection was given to the rats in the control group. After spontaneous delivery, male offspring were obtained. At the end of the 4th week, ovary and uterine horn samples were removed. Following dissection and routine histological preparation, histopathological and stereological investigations were carried out. Our results indicate that DS application leads to a decrease in the mean volume fraction of the uterine horn. Moreover, there was an increased volume fraction in some structures of the ovary; like the cortex, medulla and zona granulosa. There was no difference found between the two groups in terms of the mean volume of the antrum and the Graafian follicle fraction. Finally, in light of our findings, we may suggest that DS may lead to adverse effects in rats that are prenatally subjected to this drug.

The relationship of callosal anatomy to paw preference in dogs.

Previous studies have described the paw preference and asymmetry in dog brains, based on experimental studies. The purpose of the present study is to investigate a possible association between callosal anatomy and paw preference in dogs. The midsagittal area of the dog corpus callosum was measured in its entirety and in six subdivisions in a sample of 21 brains obtained from 9 male and 12 female mongrel dogs which had paw preference testing. The present study showed significant paw differences in dog corpus callosum. A posterior segment of the callosum, the isthmus, was significantly larger in the right pawedness than the left.

Sex differences in dog corpus callosum.

Human studies reported sex differences in size and shape of the corpus callosum. These observations have been contested. The purpose of the present study is to investigate possible sex differences in the corpus callosum of dogs. The entire brains including the medulla from 12 female and 9 male adult mongrel dogs were removed and weighed. Total and partial area measurements of the callosum were made from photographic tracings of its outline. The callosum was partitioned into 3 regions; anterior half, posterior half, posterior one-fifth. The total corpus callosum, anterior half, posterior half, and posterior fifth or splenium areas were measured. Sex differences were found. The anterior half, the posterior half, the posterior fifth, and the total callosum were significantly greater in absolute area in males than in females.

A morphological study in broiler chick hearts.

The normally developing cardiovascular system of the chicken resembles that of the human. The purpose of the present study is to investigate some macroscopic and microscopic similarities between the chick and the human heart. For this study 20 adult and 10 newborn Broiler chickens were used. The heart and great vessels were routinely fixed in 10% formaldehyde in a phosphate buffer. Five adult and five newborn chicks hearts were embedded in paraffin. All section were examined by light microscopy. The atrioventricular valve of 15 adult chick hearts were examined macroscopically. While some structures previously reported were determined, two different properties of the mural leaf which are chordae tendineae in its posterolateral region anchoring at the right ventricle and its widening from the anterior to posterior commissure was also observed.